


Stranger Things - IT Retold

by elixb3



Series: Stranger Things - IT Retelling [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:48:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26442958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elixb3/pseuds/elixb3
Summary: This story is a romance. A chaotic, in denial, gay romance that is fleshed out with a supernatural killer clown. But what more could you possibly need in this horror chick-flick? Add in a couple losers and two more in denial gays and you have an New York Times Best Seller.Basically IT with the Stranger Things kids instead of the Losers. Elmax (and byler) is the endgame but it's a slow progress. This first work is basically just the Party trying to sort shit out.
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers & Eleven | Jane & Dustin Henderson & Maxine Mayfield & Lucas Sinclair & Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Series: Stranger Things - IT Retelling [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922155
Comments: 21
Kudos: 29





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the IT retelling of Stranger Things :)

_"The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years-if it ever did end-began, so far as I know or can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain."_

It ~ Stephen King.

■ _OCTOBER, 1985_ ■

**■ **HAWKINS, INDIANA** ■**

Rain lashed down onto the streets of Hawkins, Indiana. It beat against the houses and swirled into the streets, converging into a fast river that swept through the roads and emptied into the storm drains. In one such drain a face peered out and into the sky. Luminescent eyes glowed amber in the dark as a wicked smile curled upwards on its face. Surrounding it was an aura of prime evil, an ancient sense of foreboding and dread. It tilted its stubby red nose towards the opening and dragged in a large amount of air, reacquainting himself with the world he'd woken up in. He was awake again. Awake and hungry. A feral grin pulled his lips upward, flashing canine like teeth and distorting the clown makeup streaked across his face.

◼ _SUNDAY AFTERNOON_ ◼

◼ **WHEELER HOUSEHOLD** ◼

The sound of the storm was muted within the walls of Mike's room. In the corner one of his old vinyls was playing quietly whilst he helped his little sister Holly build her boat. Holly wasn't actually building it though. Instead she was looking out one of his windows into the storm, her breath fogging up the glass and her fingers tracing idle patterns in the mist. Mike was still in his pyjamas, bundled into a nest of blankets and surrounded by tissues whereas Holly was in a pretty little frock with brightly coloured flowers on it. Mike sharpened the last crease of the paper and folded it over to complete the shape of the boat. It was bright yellow cartridge paper from the old stationary store run down the road. Mike had lent Holly his pocket money for it even though Holly had promised to save up her own. Mike didn't tell her he'd swiped it from their older sister, Nancy's, piggy bank.

"Is it done yet? Is it done?" Holly bounced excitedly around her big brother as he held the little yellow boat up for her to see. He laughed and tugged on the end of one of her plaits.

"Not yet silly. We need to cover it with wax so that it floats. You go get that whilst I find a brush." Holly frowned.

"In the cellar?" Mike looked over at her.

"You want it to work don't you? Don't be a wuss, just go get it." Holly hesitated. Mike let out a long suffering sigh before grabbing a talkie off of his bookshelf and tossing it to her. She fumbled with it slightly before managing to hold it the right way round. "You remember when I taught you how to use it right?" Holly nodded. "Good because that's a big kid toy which only big kids can use and they're not scared of dark cellars." Holly gnawed her lip and looked out back into the storm. Mike pressed on, "If you're too young for it then I could just take it back and-"

"No." Holly hugged the talkie tight to her chest. She knew Mike was very protective of them and he and all of his older friends used them. She wanted to be like them too, they were all grown up and got to have way more fun than she did. She puffed out her chest. "I'll get the wax, I'm not afraid of the dark." Mike smiled triumphantly as Holly marched out of the door. He dragged himself off the end of his bed to go and grab the paintbrush on his desk.

Holly was feeling less confident as she reached the cellar door. Her mom was absentmindedly folding the laundry in the kitchen. "Careful going down there honey, the bulb broke last week and I'm still waiting for your father to fix it." Holly swallowed nervously. She wasn't afraid of the dark. She opened the door and stood on the top step, staring down into the dim basement. She flicked the light switch a couple times to make sure but unfortunately her mother was right. Her talkie flashed red and Mike's voice sprang through the radio.

"Holly hurry up." It was followed by a burst of static and she jumped at the loudness of his voice in the quiet of the cellar. Still, she descended the staircase, holding onto the railing and mentally plotting the quickest route to the main storage shelves. She tucked the talkie into her front pocket so that both her hands were free. The shadows moved from the light spilling from the kitchen and in the darkest corners Holly swore she heard rustling. Swallowing nervously and tugging at the hem of her skirt, Holly slowly edged her way towards the main shelf on her left. It held boxes of all sorts of stuff from Mike's old Star Wars Lego set to the special bunting they hung up on the fourth of July. Wedged between an old camp stove and a tangled mess of kites lay a small box of Gulf Wax. Holly went to snatch it quickly but in doing so knocked an old flashlight. It rolled towards the edge and Holly watched it like it was slow motion as it fell towards the floor and clattered loudly on the concrete. The beam flickered on and off rapidly, illuminating something shiny in the corner. The bulb gave out but the shiny thing in the shadows still glinted with the light from the kitchen. It was two little orb things that looked suspiciously like floating eyes. Holly hastily snatched the torch up off of the floor and smacked the side hard, sending a bright beam of light that swept away the gloom and revealed an old spool of copper wire. Her heart slowed somewhat and she shakily reached for the wax, curling her fingers around it tightly. All it took was a loud clap of thunder to send her scurrying back up the stairs and slamming the door shut, leaning against it with the wax in one hand and the broken flashlight in the other.

"What in heaven's name was all that noise?" Mrs Wheeler stood with a basket full of laundry balanced on one hip and a hand on her other one. Holly's heart was beating furiously, it was as if an angry butterfly was trying to force itself through her chest. She ignored her mother and ran for the stairs, trying to take most of them two at a time. Mrs Wheeler just brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose, shaking her head before carrying on with the laundry.

The adrenaline was still flooding through Holly when she reached the landing. It ebbed away slightly though as she entered the familiar bedroom, almost as familiar as her own. Mike had lit a candle on his desk and was waiting impatiently for her to join him. His nose was redder than before and a fresh bucket was sat by the bed, all of the tissues having been deposited in the bin whilst he waited. "What took you so long?" He grabbed the wax off of her and began melting it.

"Monsters." Holly answered. She clambered onto the end of Mike's bed whilst he sat at his desk. She tucked her feet under her and watched the wax dissolve into a glimmering puddle.

"Oh yeah? Were they scarier than clowns?" Holly shook her head and Mike laughed. "Clowns aren't that scary Hols, they're normal people under all that makeup, people like you and me." She nodded thoughtfully. "Here we go, it's all ready for painting now." The wax shone like butter as it melted into a thick sort of oil. When Mike dipped the end of the brush in it all the bristles glistened in the candlelight but when he painted it onto the paper it turned into a damp, soggy sort of mustard colour. Holly reached out to touch it but Mike gently smacked her hand away. "Careful Holly, we have to wait for it to dry first." She pouted in the way only adorable seven year-olds can. "Why don't you get your coat on Hols, and don't forget your galoshes either." She grumbled but plodded down the stairs anyway.

When she returned Mike had pulled out a big black marker and written SS HOLLY on the side of the boat in big bold letters. He held it out to her like he was presenting an award. "She's all ready Captain." Holly beamed and bounced excitedly up to him, surprising him with a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks Mikey." He smiled softly at her. "But why's it a she?"

"Boats are always 'she' silly." She giggled and smiled a wide, gap-toothed smile.

"Are you sure you can't come with me?" She'd bugged him about it all morning. His smile faded.

"Sorry Hols but I'm too sick to go outside, I'm dying!" He gave an exaggerated cough to try and coax a laugh out of her but it didn't work. She was frowning and on the verge of becoming a surly little kid.

"But you're not dying!" She stuck out her lip, her tone entirely too serious and know-it-all for someone her age.

"What? You mean you didn't see the sick coming out of my nose earlier." She blanched and he laughed at her. "Have you asked Nancy?"

"Yeah but she's busy with Jonathan." She scrunched up her nose as Mike made a noise of disgust.

"Ok, that's fair but you can still have fun." He insisted, crouching down to do up her zipper, sliding it all the way up and under her chin.

"Are you sure I won't get in trouble?" It was still disappointed but the excitement was returning rather rapidly.

"Don't be a sissy. Just remember to avoid Mirkwood, freaky things happen there ok?" Holly nodded.

"Monsters." She said sagely. Mike tugged on her braids again.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Monsters." With that he pulled up her hood and sent her off and out the door.

As she went, bounding down the steps of the front porch Mike watched from his bedroom window, a strong sense of foreboding filling him up. He suddenly wanted to call Holly back inside but shook it off. It was probably nothing. She splashed down the garden path and paused in the drive, turning to face the bedroom window where Mike's silhouette was. She waved to him eagerly and when he waved back she turned to the road and dropped the boat onto the fastest stream. It bobbed along merrily for a second before getting caught up in the flow and zipping away. Holly gave a little crow of delight as she gave chase, sprinting behind it to keep up.

The streets were empty, everyone huddled inside to keep cosy and warm. Whereas to some it might seem haunting, the darkened houses and dead traffic lights, to Holly it was just another adventure where she could pretend to be a grown up exploring the roads of Hawkins all on her own. Her galoshes were slightly too big and made a funny _fwub_ sound every time she put one foot in front of the other. Her hood fell over her brows and almost covered her eyes, sheltering her ears from the cold wind that buoyed her little boat along. Unfortunately Holly failed to notice how far they'd come. The storm had worsened and the heavy clouds overhead made the already darkening sky gloomier. Her boat sluiced along the swollen gutter towards the intersection but with the low light and her attention so focused on the paper boat, Holly missed the Stop sign that had been blown sideways in the wind. She careened straight into it and was knocked flat on her back whilst her boat whistled on. "NO!" She scrambled back to her feet and chased after the small yellow blob, now almost entirely disappeared in the rushing rainwater. She was slightly stunned and could feel the beginnings of dampness starting to seep through her clothes. She gave a small cry and half stumbled half ran after her ship.

Her backside was sore and her hair was plastered to her face but she managed to catch up enough to see her creation surf up towards the curb and let out a loud squeal, knowing what was going to happen before it did. The boat circled twice before it was swallowed up by the storm drain. Holly felt like crying. Mike was going to be so mad at her. She splashed over to the drain and, ignoring her already wet clothes, knelt down in front of it. "Mike's gonna kill me." She tried peering down into the drain, the water falling straight into darkness and creating a damp, hollow sound that echoed back out to her. She could see her paper boat kicking in and out of the shadows.

She snaked her arm through the hole, her whole body lying flat on the road as she reached wildly for the boat. Water was sloshing up her raincoat and was soaking through her dress, the stream flowing south and getting into her nose that was pressed awkwardly against the wet tarmac. Suddenly squinty amber eyes blinked into existence and Holly screamed, falling backwards and splashing in the water. A greasy white face lifted towards the light and Holly was horrified to see a clown squatting in the storm drain. She sucked in a breath. His face was as white as chalk and his nose and eyes were painted with a dark red, like Kool Aid. It was streaked around his eyes, like he'd been crying and his tears had washed it down into thin lines that met at the corners of his mouth.

"Hiya Holly." She gulped fearfully. Her name didn't sound right when he said it. "This is your boat?" His voice sounded strange, it was a sad voice. Holly looked around for anyone else, hoping another person was witnessing this. The only other person around was an older lady on her porch who spared the little girl a quick glance before returning to more pressing matters. Holly eyed the drain again before edging slightly closer. Her brother's words echoed in her head, repeating like a mantra; _they're normal people under all that makeup, people like you and me_. It gave her a little bit more courage, after all Mike was older, he wouldn't lie to her. He was never wrong. The clown smiled but it wasn't a nice smile. "It's a nice boat. Floats." She crawled even closer so that she was on her hands and knees staring straight down onto him. He didn't look like a normal clown, in fact he was even scarier. His body was too thin and knobbly with sticky out knees and elbows. He wore a big collar thing, like a ruff with curly toed shoes and lacy flares on the ends of his sleeves. His entire attire was a dirty white, stained and smudged with odd threading, some of the lining red whilst some was black. Holly started to get a really bad feeling.

"What're you doing in the sewer?" She asked. She'd never heard of anyone going into the sewers before not even that weird boy down the road from her.

"There was a storm. A very large storm and it blew me away down here, it blew the whole circus down here."

"There's a whole circus down there?" Holly tried to crane her head to see around him. He smiled again but it was all wrong, there were too many teeth and it didn't reach his eyes. Holly didn't feel like a brave grown up anymore. "I should go." His smile slipped for a fraction of a second.

"But you look like such a nice girl. I'll bet you have lots of friends." Holly thought about Mike hunched over in bed coughing. He'd be so disappointed if she told him she'd lost the boat. Maybe if she talked to the clown then he'd give it back to her.

"Three. But my brother is my bestest best..." She trailed off. The paper boat was bumping around the clown's gnarly white feet. He followed her gaze and scooped it up, taking care not to crush the delicate edges.

"Your bestest best? Is this his boat?" He held it up towards her but too far away for her to grab. Holly nodded vigorously.

"He made it for me." A large grin swelled across the clown's face. His top lip curled outward and was pulled back to reveal two large front teeth. Holly shivered but not from the cold.

"There's a good brother. Where is he?"

"In bed. Sick."

"I bet I could cheer him up. I'd give him a balloon." Holly nibbled on her bottom lip anxiously. "Do you want a balloon too Holly?" She shuffled nervously from above.

"I'm not supposed to take stuff from strangers."

"Oh, well I'm Pennywise, the dancing clown." His head twitched spasmodically and from somewhere in the gloom little bells jingled like a court jester shaking his hat. "Pennywise, yes," He muttered to himself. "meet Holly." He gestured from his chest to her. "Holly, meet Pennywise." He crooked his hand back to him. Holly hiccoughed a nervous giggle. "Now we aren't strangers, are we?" His eyes bore heavily into Holly's. He laughed but it was more like a mad growl.

"Can you smell the circus Holly? There's peanuts and cotton candy." As Holly leaned forwards Pennywise swayed backwards, as if enticing her even closer. His eyes were twitching rapidly but that smile stayed frozen on his face. As Holly listened to him she could feel a warmish sort of glow. If she strained her ears, she could hear faint carnival music and smell the sticky sweetness of candy and buttery hot oil fryers. There was even the faint sound of children laughing and balloons popping. "Hot dogs and..." He waited for her to finish it and as Holly crawled even closer the answer washed over her immediately.

"Popcorn?"

"Popcorn!" Pennywise cackled. "Is that your favourite?" When Holly nodded his smile stretched even wider, further distorting his features. "Mine too!" He exclaimed, his excitement practically palpable. Holly felt her own smile forming. "Because they go pop-pop," he quivered with laughter, an unsettling laughter, the sort that sends goosebumps pricking the flesh but Holly was too caught up in the illusion. "Pop-pop-POP." Holly giggled.

"Pop-pop-pop." She mimicked. Both began giggling but as Pennywise's rose in hysteria Holly's became more strained and scared. When Pennywise abruptly cut off Holly took a few moments to stop. His face was unsmiling now, instead it was cold to the point of unfeeling and stared at Holly with such an intensity as if completely seeing through her. Her smile slipped off of her face. By now the light had faded to the point where Pennywise was once again shrouded in shadows, the small amount seeping in only enough to illuminate his crimson lips and chalky chin. No one said anything, Pennywise just continued to stare with a sort of hungry gleam in his eyes.

"I, I should go." Holly muttered, her voice trembling.

"Without your boat?" Pennywise held the yellow paper up to the light. "You can't lose your boat Holly," his voice had so far been devoid of emotion. "Bill's gonna kill you." Now it held a sinister undertone, filled with malicious intent and dangerous conviction. His mouth once again curled upwards in that awful smile only this one was much worse. It was amused in a twisted way and spoke of horrors to come. Holly really wanted to run away. The boat rose a little closer to her. "Take it. Take It Holly." The tone was heavy with anticipation, his smile wider now and more predatory as Holly hesitated. He shook the boat in his hand, holding it up further into the light. She was definitely cold now. Drenched through and cold and she just wanted to go home.

She stretched her hand into the dark, jamming her entire arm into the drain and resting her head by the curb when she realised that she was too small. Just as she curled her fingers around the folded lip Pennywise relinquished his hold on it. However, before she could withdraw he lunged forward, his jaw unhinging like some demonic snake's and circular rows of serrated teeth whirred like a saw. Quick as a flash the boat disappeared into the darkness again, splashing into the grey water along with the arm that held it. Blood dribbled down his chin as Holly screamed and scrambled back. Her left arm had been torn completely from her socket and red droplets mixed with the still falling rain and ran down her coat. The ends of ripped veins and nerves hung limply from out of her sleeve and as she flopped onto her belly to wriggle away, screaming all the while from fear and pain, all that was left of her arm was a gnawed, bloody stump. Still shrieking she tried getting to her knees to crawl. From the drain a long white hand extended out towards its prey. Where fingers should be there were talons, long and black and gleaming under the rain. The sharp claw like thing clamped onto her leg just above the galosh. She was yanked backwards, dragged into the blackness of the storm drain and into the belly of the beast. "MIKEY!" She warbled before she was silenced.

The old lady from before hurried to the window as fast as her weary bones would allow, peering into the horrific weather to try and see the little girl. All she saw was an empty street and a large reddish sort of puddle, one that was already being washed away. Little Holly Wheeler was no more.  
  


© **_ELIXB_** **|** ** _2020_**


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School's out.

_"They simply ran out into summer and were gone: some on bikes, some skipping, some riding invisible horses."_

It ~ Stephen King.

_JUNE 1985_

**HAWKINS MIDDLE SCHOOL**

Doors flung open as the final bell of the day signalled the start of summer vacation. Rowdy 6th, 7th and 8th graders spilled out into the halls, all pushing and shoving to get outside. The corridors had all rapidly been taken over by the middle school kids, books being tossed and papers strewn everywhere as lockers were emptied and old notes and assignments were crushed under foot. Summer had officially commenced and everyone was pouring out of every available exit. Mike Wheeler was shoved roughly into the wall as a couple kids brushed past him. His friend, Will, reached out to grab him. From behind them two boys burst out of a classroom, whooping and hollering. The smaller one launched himself at Mike's shoulders, almost succeeding in knocking him flat on his face. "Ger-off!" He growled, spinning around to face the beaming curly-haired boy. "Seriously Dustin, I could've face-planted and knocked out all my teeth!"

"Teeth are overrated anyway." Was Dustin's reply, smiling widely to show off empty gums. Mike bumped his shoulder playfully. The other boy, a darker skinned guy called Lucas, threw his arm around Will's shoulders and sauntered easily through the crowd. He and Mike were almost a head taller than everybody else and so it was easier for them to navigate through the busy corridors. Will and Dustin often used them to get through places quicker, usually holding onto the backs of their shirts whilst everyone else got out of their way. Today was no different except for the gang of high school boys loitering in the main entrance. "Oh shit." Dustin muttered, accidentally catching Troy's eye. He smirked and tipped an imaginary hat to him. Dustin audibly swallowed. "You think he'll sign my year book? Dear Dustin, sorry for dumping cat shit in your backpack, have a nice summer." He delivered it sarcastically with fake enthusiasm and the boys all laughed. Not even Billy and his gang could dampen their jubilant spirit brought with the end of school. A pug-like girl shoulder slammed Will as the boys burst out into the sun. It was a well known fact that the boys were losers.

The girl stormed through the school to the nearest girl's bathroom. To any outsider it looked like she was burning with a righteous fury but as she entered the toilets and met up with her girl gang it became obvious that there was nothing righteous about it. She kicked the only locked door viciously, taking delight in the scuffed shoes disappearing out of sight. Inside the cubicle Max Mayfield sat smoking. Outside, Greta and her posse surrounded it. One of the hockey players was filling the trash can with water. "Ugh are you in there on your own Maxi-pads? Or d'you have half the guys in school there with you, huh slut?" She pounded the door with her fist and Max flinched, a force of habit rather than a genuine reaction to Greta's words. She stubbed her cigarette out on the side of the stall, her face blank and unbothered. "I know you're in there you little shit, I can smell you." Max watched Greta's shoes bounce impatiently on the linoleum. Max didn't usually get shit from many people, being the sister of Billy Hargrove and all that but unfortunately Greta was Troy's on again-off again girlfriend and knew that Billy didn't give a single fuck about her. Greta stood on the other side of the door and rattled the lock. "No wonder you don't have any friends." She taunted.

"Which is it Greta? Am I slut, or a little shit? Make up your mind." Her voice echoed weirdly due to the acoustics of the room and Greta scowled. Max knew she shouldn't antagonise her, just as she shouldn't antagonise her brother but it was just one of those things she couldn't help but do anyway. The girl filling the trash can turned off the tap. Greta glanced at her.

"You're trash, we just wanted to remind you." She stepped back away from the door and smirked smugly as the girl clambered into the stall next to Max's and lifted up the can.

Knowing what was going to happen before it did, Max crouched up on the back of the toilet and snatched her bag from where it was slumped on the floor, holding it protectively above her head like some sort of shield. Disgusting trash water and tissues rained down from above, the muddy brown water sloshing over the toilet seat and onto the floor carrying used tampons and bloody pads with it. Small flecks of gunk splattered Max's shoes but she'd managed to avoid the worst of it. She'd had practise for nearly 3 years. "Ugh, gross. At least now you'll smell better. Have a nice summer Mayfield." The girls all left, laughing and throwing insults at Max casually over their shoulders. "What a loser." Max slumped when they were gone, closing her eyes tiredly for a moment before pulling herself back together and exiting the grimy bathroom.

Meanwhile, outside in the warmth the four boys were upending their school bags and dumping the contents into the trash, purging themselves of the school year. Everything from old homework, school projects, battered notebooks and broken pencils were shaken out into the dumpster. "Best feeling ever." Mike said.

"Yeah? Try tickling your pickle for the first time." Dustin replied. The boys ignored him, used to the inappropriate comments.

"Hey, what do you guys wanna do tomorrow?" Will asked.

"Start my training." Dustin said, adjusting his hat on top of his head. It was a geeky baseball cap with some lame science pun on it.

"What training?"

"Dig Dug. I've been usurped from my rightful position at the top."

"Is that really how you want to spend your summer, inside an arcade?" Lucas asked.

"Beats spending it inside your mother." He raised his hand for a high five but Mike shoved it down.

"Dude." Lucas shook his head.

"What if we go to the quarry?" Will suggested. Mike frowned.

"I thought we were going to the Barrens." The other three exchanged guilty looks, like they'd forgotten. Dustin tried diverting the topic.

"Look, it's Barbara Holland's mom." A small lady with prominent bags under her eyes stood by the police booth. There was a sign that said **Remember the curfew 7pm** and right next to it was a picture of Barb. Her mom stood scanning the crowd of departing kids. She looked haggard, her frame suggesting that she'd once been beautiful but had lost too much weight too quickly. "Is she really expecting to see her here?" Dustin asked.

"Like, Barb's just been hiding in Home Ec for the last three weeks."

"You think they'll find her?" Mike asked, underneath the disappearance of his little sister still fresh in his mind.

"Sure." Lucas replied. "In a ditch all decomposed and stuff with maggots coming out of her, smelling worse than Dustin's mom's underwear." Dustin flipped him the bird.

"She's not dead Lucas, she's just missing." Mike parroted the same sentence he'd been saying for the last couple of months to his parents. The other three all shifted uncomfortably, the atmosphere dropping.

"Right, sorry Mike. She's missing."

"Y'know the Barrens are all right, who doesn't like splashing around in shitty water?" Dustin tried to alleviate the situation but was cut off by someone snagging his backpack. He stumbled backwards as Troy hooked a finger through the strap and yanked him hard, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Sorry Toothless, didn't see you there." James laughed as he tripped up Will.

"Watch it faggot." Mike and Lucas surged forward protectively but found themselves restrained. Troy locked Mike's arms whilst Tommy H had a firm hold on the back of Lucas's shirt. The leader himself, Billy Hargrove, sauntered towards them. They were a gang of four bullies, Billy, Troy, James and Tommy H; one's a lunkhead oaf, another a perpetually giggly fire-starting sociopath, and the last one's a mean scrap and scab junkyard dog type. Billy's in a league of his own, mean and cruel with an uncontrollable rage. Every single one of them took great joy in picking on the party.

Will had landed hard on his knees, the concrete had scraped his skin and loose bits of stone were stuck in the graze. "What do you want Hargrove!" Mike spat. Lucas tried to nudge him whilst Will helped Dustin up.

"Say something Frogface? You got a free ride this year because of your little sister." Mike deflated at the mention of Holly and Billy smirked. "Ride's over now, this summer's gonna be a hurt train for you and your fag friends. Your ass is grass, same goes for you too Toothless and Fairyboy. As for you," he looked over at Lucas with pure loathing. "Do us all a favour and go kill yourself." Lucas scowled furiously and struggled against Tommy H.

"Is there a problem here?" Chief Hopper stood with his arms crossed surveying them. Billy jerked his head at his goons and they dropped the boys.

"Just here to pick up my sister." The chief nodded his head towards his thugs.

"You'd best be on your way then." Billy glared as the gang slunk off towards his blue Camaro. The party righted themselves and thanked the chief. He just waved them off, returning to his truck whilst he lit a cigarette.

"Wish he'd go missing." Mike muttered.

"He's probably the one doing it." Dustin replied darkly.

On the other side of the school Max had opted to take the longer route, postponing the inevitable meeting of her brother and his friends. Her stepfather insisted that Billy take her to and from school, an arrangement neither enjoyed. She'd just exited from the east wing hallway but found her path down the stairs blocked by a pretty brunette. Max halted, afraid it was one of Greta's posse. But no, this girl Max didn't recognise. She was pretty with long curly brown hair and wide, open eyes. A large, oversized flannel hung off of her and her jeans had been rolled up at least three times to become shorts that ended on the knee. "You gonna let me go by or is there a secret password or something?" The girl whipped around, ripping her headphones off startled. She was staring at Max like a deer caught in headlights.

"Sorry I-" Flustered she dropped her Walkman, bending down to catch it before it smashed on the ground.

"Sorry's not a password..." Max trailed off as the girl very nearly tripped over her own feet and smashed her head in, clutching onto the railings to catch herself. Max cocked a brow. "Billy and his goons are over by the west entrance so you should be fine." The girl righted herself, flushing as she gazed up at Max. Max gestured to the Walkman, "What're you listening to?" She took the girl's headphones before she could react and snapped them on over her ears. Almost immediately she scrunched her nose up and made a face. "New Kids on the Block? Seriously?" She took the headphones off again. The girl was bright red. "You've got a shite taste in music, no offence. You wanna listen to bands like AC/DC, that's real music."

"They're cool." The girl muttered, flushing even redder when Max laughed.

"I don't know you do I? Are you new?" The girl shook her head and Max frowned. "Well I don't recognise you. Here, let me sign your yearbook." It was only then that Max noticed the lack of school bag.

"I'm home schooled." It was quiet and low, spoken haltingly in an accent Max couldn't quite place. Max found it was nice to listen to.

"Oh. Well I'm Max, but here I'll sign this for you." She set down her own bag and pulled out her own yearbook, ripping out one of the numerous blank pages. She snagged a pen from the bottom of her bag and signed MAX in scrawly block writing. The girl took the offered page and folded it up small, tucking it reverently into her breast pocket.

"El." She smiled widely, a big beautiful smile that lit up her face and put small dimples in her cheek. Max felt a smile of her own growing.

"Stay cool El." She brushed past the shy girl and waved over her shoulder.

"You too Max." Max found it adorable.

"Hang tough homeschool." She called before disappearing around the corner.

The party had finally agreed on plans tomorrow to go to the Barrens and were getting ready to bike off. Mike caught the eye of a pretty brunette girl climbing into the chief's truck. He waved at her and smiled when she shyly waved back. From the same direction a red haired girl emerged and stared at him weirdly. He flushed and sort of awkwardly gestured to the girl but she'd already moved on, heading towards Billy and his crew. Mike carried on watching the chief's daughter even when Lucas nudged him snickering. Apparently the red head (Max?) had almost shut Billy's fingers in the door. Mike rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I've got to go, see you guys tomorrow at Dustin's house?" The guys nodded and waved him off.

**WHEELER'S RESIDENCE**

Mike rolled his bike down the familiar street, the wheels bouncing over the loose pebbles. He was muttering the lyrics to some pop song under his breath. It was one of those cheesy ones that everyone pretended not to like but secretly listened to anyway. It used to be routine for Mike to sing horribly off-key to Holly on the walk home from school, she would giggle and shove him pretending she was embarrassed by him. Ever since her disappearance Mike hadn't been able to stop, although now instead of it being fun it only spiralled him into an emotional mess. He raised his voice to spit out the last couple of lines, his distress seeping into the words as he reached his house on the end of the cul-de-sac.

The garage door was open and as Mike parked his bike the sound of machinery whirring inside came to a sudden stop. "Mike? That you?" His dad's voice called out from his workbench. Mike ducked into the shade to see him. He was whittling a leg for a table, the other three already leaning against the wall. Behind him lay a complex mess of hamster tubes and plastic trays.

"Need any help?" Mike offered, studiously ignoring the frustration on his dad's face. He was sat on his stool with his arms balanced on his legs. He fixed Mike with his best disapproving look.

"I thought we agreed." He pointed to the elaborate labyrinth of yellow plastic. Mike shot it a desperate glance. The walls above it were plastered with maps, both new and old of the Hawkins sewers. The largest, most recent one had bright red marker circling the storm drain Holly was last seen next to. Thick lines were starting from that point and spread out into several different routes. All of them led to the various sewer pipes that opened up around the town but only one was left without a big red cross slashed through it. Mr Wheeler scratched his brow tiredly whilst he watch Mike sputter nervously.

"Before you say anything-"

"Mike."

"Just let me show you something first!" He plucked up the G.I Joe action figure sitting idly on the side and shoved him into one of the tubes. Mr Wheeler shook his head, physically pained by his son's hope. Mike dragged the hose over and shoved it in after the plastic model, switching it on. A powerful stream of water surged through the tunnels and flushed the action figure through a complicated path before spitting it out into one of the plastic trays labelled **The Barrens**. Mike switched off the hose and turned eagerly to his dad. "The Barrens, it's the only place."

"She's gone Mike." It was weary and resigned but Mike clenched his fists. They'd been having this same argument every day since his parents stopped searching after Christmas.

"But if the storm swept Holly into the drain-"

"She gone Mike! She's dead. What's done is done. Now please, take this down before your mother sees it." Mike deflated, all of the fight draining out of him.

"Nancy'd believe me." He grumbled defiantly. Ted Wheeler frowned, rubbing his temples as he felt the beginnings of a migraine forming.

"Nancy's in college. Oh, and next time you want to use my maps, ask me first." He unpinned the one with all the red marker on it and rolled it up, tucking it under his arm as he left the garage.

Mike was left on his own. He cast a sort of hopeless look at the hamster in its cage. "Guess you get your tunnels back." He told it. It just squeaked and turned away, burying in the sawdust. Mike sighed before moving to disassemble his creation, bogged down with misery. Absentmindedly he started humming the song from earlier again, enunciating each word with its own bitter undertone. The hose spluttered to life, releasing a splatter of water that pooled together too close to Mike's trainers. He scowled and moved around the model. When he turned away though a face rippled in the water like a glassy reflection, a familiar greasy white, ruddy nose face that smiled ominously up at the ceiling before fading away as Mike returned with a cloth to clean it.  
  
  
  
  
  


© ** _ELIXB_** **|** ** _2020_**


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit gets scary part 1

_"Let me tell you about being here. 'Cuz you need to understand something. There are two places you can be in this world. You can be out here, like us. Or you can be in there, like them."_

It (2017 Film Adaptation) ~ Chase Palmer & CJ Fukunaga

_JUNE, 1985_

**SINCLAIR FARM, HAWKINS**

Lucas often worked the afternoons after school on his grandparents' farm. He got paid for his work well and liked to spend the cash more often than not in the arcade. Although he'd teased Dustin earlier about spending all summer playing video games it was mostly because he resented the fact he'd probably have to help out his granddad instead of hanging out with the guys. Still, he loved them even if the situation wasn't ideal. The only real problem was the sort of work his grandfather was trying to force him to do now. He stood with a stun bolt in his hand waiting for the slat to lift. About 50 sheep milled about in the slaughter pen on the other side of that slat. The path that led up to the actual slaughtering bit got progressively narrower until the sheep waiting were forced to line up.

Lucas's grandfather hoisted the slat and a bow-legged, skittery creature stumbled into the pen. Its fleece was thin, having only been sheared a couple weeks ago, but was still clumped with mud on the underside. Its ears were disproportionate to its triangular head and large ugly eyes stared up at Lucas woefully. He held the gun the way his granddad had taught him, aiming it at its glabella (the space between its eyes) with both hands wrapped around it for balance and support. He kept it locked there for several hesitant moments until his hands started shaking and his granddad snatched it away from him. "You should've just pulled it."

"But doesn't it seem wrong, you're taking a life?" Lucas was by no means a vegetarian but that didn't mean he wasn't against the mindless slaughter of them. It felt wrong for them to be helplessly trapped in a pen marching themselves to their death. His granddad sighed.

"People need to eat son, besides it's all over so fast that they don't feel a thing. Remember what I said? If the animal senses what you're about to do it feels fear. Fear causes adrenaline to rush through it which changes the taste and the meat winds up tough." He brought the stun bolt down and pulled the trigger without even blinking. The sheep fell to the floor and Lucas's eyes drifted down to stare at its carcass bleeding out on the floor. His granddad passed off the stun bolt to a farm hand to reload whilst another one removed the dead sheep. His grandfather manoeuvred Lucas towards the door whilst the slat was raised and another sheep took its place, this one dying in significantly less time than the previous one. His grandfather gestured to the bright red parcels being packed into Lucas's bike basket. "You're a good kid Lucas, you work hard but I'm going to give you a bit of advice. There are two places you can be in this world. You can be here, like us. Or you can be in there, like them. But if you keep hemming and hawing, that choice is going to be made for you." He paused, becoming even more serious. "Except you won't know it 'til you feel the bolt blast right between your eyes..." He tapped his grandson's forehead and Lucas flinched back, suddenly longing to be out in the sun rather than in the shade of the barn. His grandfather's eyes were dark and sombre. "Don't you forget that Lucas, don't forget." Lucas nodded just as the last package was secured in his basket. Straightening up, his granddad said, "Now go be useful elsewhere and deliver them down to the butchers. Be back by dinner and we'll see whether or not we can spare you for your summer vacation." He grinned and clapped Lucas on the shoulder but Lucas was still too shaken to do much more than return a weak smile.

As he mounted his bike he spied his little sister Erica sitting on the fence. She smiled toothily at him. "Too much of a pussy Lucas?" He scowled at her and flipped her the bird.

"Isn't it past your bed time?"

"Isn't it time you died?" Erica shot back.

"Erica Sinclair!" Both siblings jumped. Their grandmother stood on the farmhouse porch with her hands on her hips and flour dusting her floral apron. She was usually a very matronly woman, kind and gentle but now she was scowling at the young girl. "Do not antagonise your brother. In fact come inside now and help me. Lucas I'm sure Andy would much prefer the meat fresh so you run along as well." When her back was turned Erica stuck out her tongue at Lucas.

"Psycho." He muttered.

"Butt head!" She retaliated. Lucas swung his leg over the bike as their grandmother sent them a reproving look. It was only as he started picking up speed he turned.

"Fart face." He called behind him. He didn't wait to see Erica's reaction as he flew down the road and coasted into town.

**HAWKINS TOWN CENTRE**

Lucas rode through the centre of town, swerving past cars and cruising to a halt outside Andy's butchers. He leaned his bike up against the pole and started to untie the restraints securing the meat when a familiar blue Camaro turned onto the street. Billy spotted him before Lucas did. When he did though his eyes widened and he grabbed his handlebars, turning sharply into the alley next to him. "Get him!" He heard the loud rev of the engine and ducked behind the dumpster, tucking his bike in next to him. Thankfully it roared past him, the screeching tyres completely zooming past the alley entrance. Lucas breathed a sigh of relief although his heart was racing and sweat was perspiring on his forehead. He poked his head around the trash before wheeling out his bike and propping it against the brick wall opposite.

He'd just turned his back on the butchers when the wooden door used for loading banged loudly. He jumped, almost dropping the parcels as he spun around. He was still on edge about Billy. It banged again, straining against the padlocked chain and wobbling on its hinges. Lucas took a step back. The old wood creaked alarmingly and a single black hand curled around the edge. Lucas stared at it in horror. All the skin was charred and pussy, bubbled up flesh flopping grotesquely and revealing ashy bone underneath. Something like burnt blood oozed from the wounds like thick, sludgy lava. As soon as Lucas fully comprehended what he was seeing three more hands clawed between the cracked door and the butchers behind it. Smoke billowed out, thick and grey and suffocating. An orange glow flickered wildly and cast warped shadows on the brick behind Lucas's back. Sounds, mainly screams rippled from the haunting image. Vaguely familiar voices crying out and pleading with him. "Help Lucas!" They called, "Help! We're at the door!" He was utterly transfixed, unable to tear his eyes away. He took a shaky step forward, and then another. Horrible memories and nightmares looped through his mind, incorporating this ghastly sight into them. He was trembling, fear and confusion running riot throughout his body. When he was within arms reach of the door it suddenly flew open. On instinct he skipped back a step as the padlock splintered and the chain whipped through the handle.

There was no fire and no mangled hands. At first it appeared like the usual empty backroom of the butchers but then something twitched behind the plastic sheets. Lucas knew that Andy's was no longer an active slaughter house but he had to question it for a second when the plastic rustled and something bleated quietly. It bleated again and Lucas shook his head, sure he wasn't hearing right. He almost convinced himself it was just the nerves from Billy and his flashback when the ghost of a whisper trailed down his spine. _Not a flashback_ it said, the sick amusement almost tangible. The meat hooks clinked together and the bleating began again, behind the plastic sheet disfigured lumps distorted into animalistic shapes that rocked forward on their hooks moaning in pain and terror. Everything from the heads that bucked to the thighs and legs that twitched and kicked. It was nightmarish and Lucas found his breaths coming in shorter and shallower. His eyes widened in panic and the familiar sensation of vomit sliding up his throat sent his heart skittering even faster. Between the hooks and writhing hunks of meat a somewhat human-like shape twirled back and forth. It swung around carelessly and waggled its feet as it floated a couple millimetres off of the floor, one hand dangling itself from a hook whilst the other waved at Lucas. It turned its face towards him and two flashes of amber bloomed in the darkness, replacing the creatures eyes. Lucas felt a hopelessly overwhelming surge of fear before the purr of an engine distracted him and the eyes, along with the entire vision, were gone.

Meanwhile Max was in the car with Billy and his goons. All she'd wanted was for him to pick her up from the arcade, and since she'd asked in front of her stepdad Neil he couldn't exactly say no. Except he'd picked his crew up, Billy didn't have friends, en route and she was positive they'd all been smoking. She'd seen James stuff something suspiciously like a joint in his pocket before she got in the car. All four of them were high and it wasn't a pleasant experience on a normal day but today they'd caught sight of Lucas at the butchers. "It's Sinclair." Troy had pointed out.

Max's heart had leapt into her throat, seeing her brother's eyes light up with malicious intent. "Billy don't." She warned. He shot her a glare that would normally be enough to cow her but the thought of Lucas, sweet, funny Lucas who always stood up for his friends, facing Billy all alone put a horrible, guilty, gut-wrenching twist in her stomach. Billy was dangerous enough when he was sober and that was something he was clearly not at the moment. Neither were any off his friends, thankfully she was riding shotgun and didn't have to sit in the back with them. "Billy, no stop!" He pressed his foot down on the accelerator but luckily Lucas had already spotted them and cleared out.

"Why so protective Maxine? Are you dating that scum?"

"He's 14! The only scum is you!" Billy's hand darted out so suddenly that Max didn't really see it. She felt the crack to her cheek though as her head whipped to side when he backhanded her. He and his gang all laughed around her, whooping and hollering as they turned at the top of the street.

"I don't suppose it matters whether you're dating, you've probably already spread your legs for him." Hot angry tears sprung to her eyes, his thugs all cackling appreciatively. It was obvious Billy didn't give a shit about her reputation, but then again rumours had to start from somewhere right? She hated him. Hated him with every fibre of her being and she let her anger simmer under the surface. One day she'd make him pay. She was patient, had to be living in a house like hers, and boy could she hold a grudge. She stupidly thought that was it, that the boys had had their fun and were going home, even they weren't exempt from the mandatory curfew. She was wrong. Billy gained a cruel smirk as he lined up the car to turn into the alley where Lucas was stood, frozen in place and significantly paler. Max felt her own face drain of colour.

"Billy please!" He didn't listen. The other three guys were all cheering, erratic and out of control and Billy seemed to be feeding off of it like a manic drug addict. "Billy I'm serious!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Billy honked the horn and very clearly basked in the boy's flinch as he turned to stare at them, wide-eyed and horrified. Whatever he'd just witnessed had clearly rattled him and Max was silently screaming at him to just move! To run, to do anything other than just stand there as Billy pressed his foot down and floored it. The Camaro screamed towards the immobile boy like it was going to chew him up and spit him back out. _MOVE!_ Max willed, _please move_. Finally it was if a light had come back on inside his head as Lucas's eyed widened a fraction more, something Max thought impossible, before he threw himself to the side. He dove towards his bike but he was too late, the car was hurtling towards him at an ungodly speed and he wasn't going to make it. Without consciously realising what she was doing Max threw her full weight at Billy and jerked the steering wheel, tugging it out of his control and wrenching it to the side. The car swerved suddenly and Lucas survived it, crashing to the floor next to his bike whilst the car carried on. Max turned her head worried.

Billy flung around wildly to face her, wrestling back the wheel. "THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE HUH?!" He yelled, him and the others were roaring so loud that it drowned out the sound of the engine. Max was knocked back into her seat, all the wind taken out of her, but the adrenaline was still flooding through her veins and making her hands jittery. She could still feel her heart racing at about a million miles per hour and her breathing was laboured. Billy's face was alive with energy, the type that was so blinding and bright you had to look away but only the sharp, hateful kind. She could only stare at him in horror, they'd almost killed Lucas, almost taken away a life simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She turned to face the window, curling up in her seat and ignoring the rest of the car passengers even when they blasted music so loud it vibrated the glass in its frame.

It was only when the others had been dropped off and the car was uncomfortably silent, human-wise since the music was still blasting, that Billy acknowledged her again. The drugs seemed to have worn off and he was at least somewhat sober. That or the prospect of returning to their house was enough of a shock to the system. Max didn't really care, the damage had been done. Billy kept snatching glances at her and frowning. She wasn't responsive. He lowered the volume of the music by a smidge but she still didn't acknowledge him. Irritation flared up inside of him. "You gonna say anything Max?" She usually had a sharp word, or three, on the tip of her tongue.

"What's the point Billy? You'll just get pissed off again and my face is already bust up enough, thanks." He scowled, not liking her attitude. If he wanted to talk to spineless wimps he'd find a plentiful pick in this crummy town. No, it was the fight that got him going, the dawning realisation and accompanying fear that no matter how much they resisted he'd always win. On the other hand at least he'd finally managed to drill into her head to stop being such a whiny brat.

As they pulled up next to their house, a crappy one storey thing that was no where near big enough for the three of them, Billy turned to face her. She was still staring out of the window so flinched when Billy grabbed her. He roughly grasped her chin, turning it so he could inspect her face and tilting it to the left and then the right. She jerked away angrily but he only rolled his eyes. "Go in through your window, Neil won't notice anyway but you don't want to get in trouble for fighting, especially on the last day of school." She scowled. That was his not so subtle threat of _snitch and I'll do worse_. Before she used to find it weird how he called his father by his first name but after living with said man and witnessing his discipline first hand she could understand. That didn't mean she pitied Billy, or even sympathised with him. She'd stopped caring about him all together when he started taking it out on her. Billy narrowed his eyes at the stubborn set of her jaw. He knew as well as she did that she wouldn't rat him out, it would only end in trouble for the both of them. Still, she could pretend. "I'll leave an ice pack outside your door." He muttered, as if that meant everything was ok again. Who knows, maybe to Billy it did? Max honestly couldn't tell anymore, the whole family was so fucked up in the head it would take decades to untangle that mess. Unfortunately as of right now it was the only family she had.

**MELVALD'S CONVENIENCE STORE, HAWKINS**

Will was sat in the corner of the local convenience store with his biology text book propped open on his lap. His mom was working the cash register and chatting with one of the regulars. Will didn't usually mind spending his afternoons at the shop, it allowed him time to study, but the school had literally just been let out for summer vacation and there wasn't really anything to revise for. He could draw but that often took hours, a lot longer than he had before Jonathan came to pick him up. Instead he'd decided to work on his spelling. His dyslexia was mild but still noticeable, mainly in his writing, and biology was the worst subject for it. The textbook showed all these awful, long scientific names that were complicated enough to say let alone write. His teacher Mr Clarke tried to help him when he could but Will was very conscious of high school looming ever closer. Mr Clarke wouldn't be there then and he doubted his friends would be in the same class either. It was a shame because biology was actually one of his favourite lessons, he always found it easier to sketch people when he knew how their bodies were supposed to work. It also made proportioning a lot quicker because he was able to spot how much muscle was supposed to go where and which organs were more cushioned by fat. If only the spelling was easier.

Currently he was trying to spell anatomy. He was copying it out letter by letter and enunciating each syllable slowly to try and cement it into his brain. The two a's on either side of the n kept tripping him up. It just didn't look right. He heard his mom's shoes squeak on the linoleum as she came up behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders, peering over to look at his notebook. She smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling and showing off her laugh lines. "That's good honey. You're getting better." Will seriously doubted it but tried nodding convincingly for his mother. She didn't buy it but still ruffled his hair and bent down to kiss his cheek. "Jonathan's going to be here soon sweetheart so I think that's enough studying for today." She closed up the book for him. "Besides, it's summer vacation you should be out with your friends." She fixed him with a mock stern frown and then softened when it coaxed a smile out of him.

Joyce Byers wasn't like the other mom's. She was open, maternal and comforting. All of his friends preferred Will's house to their own, regardless of their financial status. She always welcomed them with open arms and was so loving that it was impossible to not feel warm around her. That's not to say she was harmless. Back in third grade Will remembered being shoved so hard he banged his head on the floor and chipped his tooth. That was before his dad moved out and Joyce had flown into such a terrible rage. He could take it out on her but never on the kids, Will still recalls huddling with Jonathan and watching with awe filled eyes as she kicked her husband out of the house and out of their lives. It was a turning point for the family and from then on Joyce swore she'd never let her kids down again, that she would be the best mother she could be and so far she had. The only snag was that no matter how many times Will or Jonathan asked her not to she'd always hang up their piece of art that they thought was the worst to try and prove to them that it was beautiful. Will couldn't see how Jonathan could create ugly photos but he sure as hell could create nightmarish sketches and paintings. His most awful one yet hung up in the backroom of the store.

A customer rang the bell at the till and both Joyce and Will jumped. Joyce squeezed him as she huffed out a laugh. "Duty calls. Would you mind grabbing a couple Kleenex packs from the back? There should be some in the green box, aisle 3 is out." Will hesitated and almost refused but the customer rang again and his mom shot a harrowed look over her shoulder. He swallowed down his fear.

"Sure mom." She smiled again and pecked his cheek.

"What'd I do to deserve a kid like you?" Will shifted uncomfortably and began packing away his notebook. Joyce laughed. "If it's too heavy don't try and pick it up. Wait for me and I'll get Jonathan to do it." He nodded as the bell rang for the third time and Joyce scowled. "I'm coming!" She yelled.

"Yeah? So's Christmas!" The chief's voice echoed back. Joyce stalked off muttering darkly under her breath and Will couldn't help but let a small grin slip.

The backroom was fairly large but with all the boxes and shelving units there wasn't an actual lot of space. The room was dim, lit by the sunlight trying to filter in through a very grimy window. It was the sort of window that you might find in the public toilets, you know the really small ones that are too high up to open or clean. The boss was very strict on wasting electricity so the lights were kept off until the sky turned completely dark and whilst Will was very tempted to flip them on he didn't want his mom to get into trouble.

On one of the only blank patches of wall hung the dreaded art work. It was an old oil painting Will had tried doing after learning about Titian's more religious pieces in art. A shadow was stretched across the canvas but it wasn't a normal shadow. Its face was elongated, the forehead stretching almost to the top of the frame. Its eyes were uneven and beady black like they were blind, only Will had subtly detailed them to give the overall effect that it was seeing more than they knew. It was ghastly and grotesque, its mouth twisted in a grisly smile whilst smoky tendrils infected the white memorial made from sanded bone. It probably wasn't as obvious to anyone else who saw the piece but Will was the artist and knew what he'd intended. He knew every detail of his work, every inch had been cultivated from the dark matter of his nightmares and this depth of knowledge only further fuelled his fear. He'd wanted it burnt, had begged for it to be tossed in the fire and destroyed but his mom was adamant that such talent should never be forgotten. As a compromise she'd hung it here, in the storage room.

Will shielded his face with his hand, holding it up straight like blinkers on a horse. As he crossed in front of the painting he swore he could feel its eyes watching. _Green box, green box, find the green box_. He hurried further into the room, his search taking him towards the shelf at the back. A terrible clatter sounded behind him just as he's spotted the Kleenex and his shoulders instinctively bunched as he started. Breathing heavily and scolding his overactive imagination Will slowly turned around. The frame had fallen on the floor. The nail hung crookedly on the wall and when Will edged forward he subconsciously remarked that the shadows suddenly seemed slightly more oppressive than before. "Stop being stupid," He whispered to himself. "It's just a dusty old painting, that's all." Only, when Will curled his fingers under the frame and flipped it over there was no painting. Well the background was there, a disturbing smoky red background that reeked of death and destruction, but the shadow monster was gone. It had simply vanished. Rattling breaths drifted lazily around the room and Will prayed that it was from another store's employee. He felt his chest tightening up. The store wouldn't hire anyone with breathing difficulties because of the strenuous hours. There was a presence behind him and he felt the uncontrollable urge to shiver when a chill crept down his spine, like that saying about someone walking across your grave. The breathing was cut off abruptly before another thud sounded and something met the floor. It was heavy but managed to skitter across the wooden boards until it came to a stop at his heels.

When Will whipped around the first thing he registered was that it was tall. It towered above him and was mostly concealed in the low light but those eyes glowed with unfathomable knowledge and its tiny pinprick nostrils flared as if sensing his fear. The pointed chin dropped and its mouth opened, revealing rows of sharp, needle-like teeth covered in a greyish mucus. A lump lodged itself in Will's throat and prevented him from making a sound. The skin was the mottled grey of decaying corpses and cracked like old oil on canvas. The vice like grip he felt constricting his chest was surely going to crush his lungs as his breathing became far too rapid. There was noise again, a lot of it but none of it comprehensible. It sounded like children and death and parties. It was all too much. Will turned tail and ran, bolting for the door and forgetting all about the green box with the Kleenex in it.

© **_ELIXB_ | _2020_**


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't play in the sewers.

_"Okay, new kid. This is what us locals call the kissing bridge. It's famous for two things; sucking face and carving names."_

It (Film 2017) ~ Andy Muschietti & Stephen King

_JUNE, 1985_

**HENDERSON HOUSEHOLD**

Mike and Lucas were raiding Dustin's kitchen for snacks. They'd agreed to meet Will at the Barrens and were currently en route, making a quick pit stop at the Henderson pantry. "Take everything but the Delicious Deals, my mom loves those." Lucas's backpack was held open whilst the boys shoved everything from marshmallows to Capri Suns, cleaning out the shelves like feral animals. Mike crossed over to a white slatted cabinet. "Hey, first you said the Barrens now you're saying the sewer." Dustin paused whilst he helped Lucas jiggle the bag to make more room. "I mean, what if we get caught?"

"We won't get caught." Mike said confidently, throwing open the cupboard doors to look for more confectionery.

"Yeah, besides the sewers are public works and we're the public aren't we?" Lucas chimed in. Dustin rolled his eyes at him.

"Hey Dustin, these your birth control pills?" Mike asked grinning. The cabinet he'd been looking through was stocked full of various pill bottles ranging in all shapes and sizes. On the top shelf there was medicine like cough syrup and surgical alcohol. Lucas shared a high five with Mike.

"Yeah and I'm saving them for your sister." Dustin snapped back. Mike wrinkled his nose in disgust. "She's so into me."

"She still thinks you're a perv for spying on her."

"Ok I didn't spy on her! It's not my fault, the door was open and I was walking past! How many times do I have to say this?" Lucas sniggered whilst Dustin complained. The backpack was bursting at the seams and slung securely over Lucas's shoulder as the boys made their way to the front door.

They sneaked along the hall and had just managed to open the door silently when a voice called out to them from the sitting room. "Dusty-bun, where're you going in such a rush?" Ms Henderson was stuffed into a recliner clad in a garish pink and yellow dress wearing tartan slippers with her rollers still curled in her hair. Her eyes never strayed from the episode of Donahue playing on their zenith TV even as she was painting her nails in the same shade of fuchsia as her dress. Dustin sent a pleading look towards the other two.

"Just to Steve's house Ms Henderson." Mike answered for him. Steve was the same age as his sister Nancy but for some reason he'd taken a shine to Dustin and the Party. He often chauffeured them around town in the colder months and could always be relied on to cover for them, provided he deemed what they were doing wasn't too dangerous of course. Mike hoped he'd be able to make an exception this time. Dads tended not to trust him but the moms doted on his adorable big brotherliness, including Ms Henderson. She raised her eyes from the screen to regard all of them warily. Mews (the fat ginger cat on her lap) grumbled suspiciously but Ms Henderson seemed to buy it.

"Ok, be back by curfew. Oh and Dusty remember Steve mowed the lawn a couple days ago so no rolling around on the grass, you know how bad your allergies can get."

"Geez mom."

"It's fine, we'll look after him Ms H." Lucas piped up. The boys started to shuffle out again when Ms Henderson cleared her throat loudly.

"Aren't you forgetting something sweetie?" She stared at Dustin pointedly who flushed right to the roots of his frizzy hair. Lucas and Mike nudged each other barely concealing their smirks whilst Dustin glared at them before dutifully crossing the sitting room and planting a swift kiss to her cheek. She nodded satisfied and the other two boys snickered.

"Want one from me too Ms H?" Lucas asked whilst Mike snorted.

"Son of a bitch Lucas." Dustin shoved him and Mike out of the door so hard they stumbled, although both were laughing harder. Dustin spared his mom a glance. "Sorry mom." Before he shut the front door firmly behind him. Ms Henderson smiled in amusement as she watched her son and his friends from between the blinds. "You really are an asshole you know that Lucas?" They picked up their bikes off of the lawn and cycled away, the three of them ribbing each other as they disappeared down the street.

**HAWKINS PUBLIC LIBRARY**

Inside the library was cool and shaded, a huge contrast from the bright sun outside. The large bay windows were high up enough that the shafts of gold didn't disturb anyone inside, not that there were many people since it was summer. El Hopper sat at one of the tables, an old postcard of Lovers Lake in front of her. A couple lines of poetry were written carefully on the blank side and as El signed it off with _Your Secret Admirer_ she made sure not to smudge the ink. As she held it up closer to the light for inspection she whispered one of the lines aloud to herself. "Your hair burns like winter fire." It was cheesy and corny but held the weight of El's heart. A part of her rationally declared that it was foolish to be so smitten after such a brief encounter but the other, more dominant, part drunkenly sang _love_ as it drifted through memories of the previous afternoon. The square of cheap school paper seemed to burn in her jeans pocket.

The book hitting the table startled El out of her reverie. The old librarian Mrs Starret watched the girl with beady eyes as she shoved the postcard into her open bag. "Found it. It was in one of the bottom boxes in the basement."

"Thank you." El replied quietly, reaching out to grab the book but Mrs Starret kept a firm hand on it.

"Isn't it summer vacation? I'd have thought you wanted a break from school." El shrugged noncommittally.

"I like it in here." She murmured. Mrs Starret frowned.

"Speak up girly." El automatically felt her spine stiffen. Mrs Starret eyed her disapprovingly. "It ain't right for a girl to be reading so much, you'll start letting silly ideas get in your head. You should be outside with your friends." She watched the girl with a critical eye. "Don't you have any friends?" She asked and El felt a scowl forming.

"Can I have the book please?" She wasn't really asking as she tugged on its sleeve. Mrs Starret harrumphed but conceded the book to her.

"That ain't suitable for a lady." She warned but El was already placing it in her bag. Mrs Starret pursed her lips before bustling off, muttering under her breath about wayward girls and kids these days. El ignored her as she headed towards the exit. There was a word her dad called people like her, a word she was told never to repeat but she thought of it anyway.

As El exited the library she accidentally bumped into a boy. Blushing she mumbled an apology just as he did the same. He smiled awkwardly at her before ducking around and into the building. El opened her mouth to say something but he was already gone. She frowned. She wished more people would talk to her like Max did. Another person bumped into her and her scowl deepened, she was not invisible! Only unlike the other boy this seemed personal. Too late she recognised the mean boys from before, the ones her dad and Max had both warned her of.

"Heya Home school. Where you off to?" There were only two of them, the other two leaning against the monument of Bob Newby watching disinterestedly. El felt her breathing quicken. "You're pretty for a Hawkins girl." The two were surrounding her. The smaller blonde one elbowed the brunette in the side, giggling.

"I heard she ain't a Hawkins girl, that she's from Chicago." He giggled again whilst the other boy eyed her with interest. El tried to swallow but her throat had closed up.

"Yeah? It's the outside girls you gotta watch out for, Mayfield's from Cali ain't she James?" They were circling like vultures and although the brunette had lowered his voice slightly on Mayfield, like he was afraid Billy might hear, it didn't make them any less intimidating. El tried to walk away but they jogged up right next to her, one on either side of her. "Where ya going so quickly, huh?"

"Yeah, stay a while." James said, curling a finger around a lock of hair and tugging it. Tears welled up in El's eyes and fear clawed at her chest. "Pretty hair." He commented.

"Alright, you've had your fun now that's enough." Billy told them. The two boys pouted slightly but Billy ignored them, stubbing out his cigarette and leaving an ashy smudge on the white marble. "He's gonna be out any minute now." James and Troy grumbled but withdrew. Unfortunately El stayed frozen.

"You're lucky Home school. If we weren't after the fairy in there..." He trailed off and left the threat hanging. Whilst that was probably a good cue to run El remained rooted to the spot, mulling the unfamiliar word over in her mind. She knew what fairies were but these didn't seem the type of boys who'd be interested in them so she deducted that it probably meant something different and probably more offensive.

"Fairy?" She questioned.

"She talks!" James crowed before Troy jabbed him in the ribs.

"Yeah. Fairy." He affirmed, something predatory glinting cruelly in his eyes. "Faggot, dyke, _Gay_!" He spat the last word with such contempt that El recoiled. She knew what those words meant.

"Bully." She stated boldly, even as her fingers shook and her legs were turned to jelly. Billy straightened up.

"What'd you say mute?" He stalked towards her as she stumbled back. She tripped over her own feet and the only reason she was still standing was because of the unnatural speed Billy had used to grab her by the shoulders. He smirked at her terrified face. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He let go and gave her a shove. "Get lost kid." He didn't push hard but it was enough to send someone as light as El to the floor. She landed hard on her rump and for a moment felt a truly terrific surge of anger. It was quickly quashed when the boys started laughing at her nastily. She scrabbled back to her feet and ran away, tears blurring her vision.

The boys watched her go, chortling until the library doors opened again and they all flew into their places. Billy casually propped his foot up against the memorial and started filing his nails with his knife in what was clearly a threatening gesture. The others vanished into seemingly thin air as Will stumbled down the steps before righting himself and walking quickly past Billy. He was oblivious to danger until Billy called out from behind him. Will span around so fast he was in trouble of getting whiplash. The moment his eyes locked onto the older boy he turned to sprint to safety but was intercepted by Troy. "Where you going?" He struggled and kicked out as Troy lifted him easily and dragged him towards the Kissing Bridge.

The wooden railings were carved with numerous initials like R+E and hearts and sweet messages. Will was thrust up against it non too gently and held there by Troy and James. Billy removed the Buck knife from his jeans and tilted it so that the light glanced off and into Will's eyes. He squinted against it and thrashed as Troy yanked up his shirt. Billy leapt forward with the knife eagerly. "Woah Billy, he's just a kid." Tommy tried protesting but Billy snarled at him.

"Shut up Tommy." He turned back to Will who was hopelessly outnumbered and in danger of hyperventilating. James took over from Troy when Troy released Will to grab his hair spray. The canister hissed as Troy aimed it just past Will's head, his other hand fumbling around for his lighter.

"Wait Billy, let me light his hair like Michael Jackson. C'mon Billy." The flame flickered to life and Troy jettisoned a fireball that narrowly missed Will's head. He laughed manically and Will struggled even harder, squirming in James's grip and screaming. All five of them froze at the purr of a car engine.

A battered Sedan puttered onto the bridge with an elder couple inside. Will thrashed around and made direct eye contact with them, begging for help. They carried on past the group, not responding at all in fact if it hadn't been for the car moving Will would have sworn that they were dead with their empty eyes and stilted movement. Billy and his gang grinned triumphantly whilst Will felt utterly betrayed and helpless. As the back of the car trundled out of view a single red balloon floated out of the trunk and bumped against the rear view window. Will felt a hollow hole of horror open up in his stomach and quickly fill with dread. The feeling was soon replaced with pain though, fiery hot pain that bled profusely from the jagged F slashed into his stomach. He let out an anguished yell that drowned out Billy's cackle and Tommy's cry. Crimson splatters flecked the concrete beneath them and Billy's blade dripped wetly like it was from some cheesy horror film. "Shut up! I'm gonna carve the whole damn word on this little queer. Now what letter's next fag?" Will twisted his head to see the stream behind him and the wooded hill dropping directly after the railing. He turned back to catch Billy's bloody grin, his arm already raising to slice the next cut. Will was in full flight or fight mode and with all the adrenaline of a panicked teenager, he lashed out with his legs and kicked Billy solidly in the chest. James loosened his grip as Will planted his heels against Billy and launched himself over the side, tumbling down the culvert. Billy was propelled onto his ass.

As Will reached the bottom, bruised and bloody but with enough adrenaline to fight off a dragon, Billy was getting back on his feet and leaping over the railings after him. The other boys followed his lead but Tommy tripped and sent the entire lot down, all tangled together as they hit the ground and rolled. By the time they'd come to a stop Will had already taken off running and Billy's knife had disappeared into the foliage. He was on his knees spitting with rage as he tore through the dead underbrush looking for it. "You two," he pointed at Troy and James, "find him or else you're dead meat." The two exchanged a wary glance before Troy drew his lighter again and the two charged off after the runaway middle schooler. "Tommy help me find my fucking knife. My old man'll kill me." When Tommy just proceeded to stand there Billy sent him a glare so murderous that he actually flinched. "MOVE YOUR FUCKING ASS!" He yelled, startling the boy and sending him scurrying through the leaves for the familiar metal.

Meanwhile Will was bleeding so badly his shirt had soaked through and made him look like the victim of a brutal murder, which in a way it almost had been. He splashed into the river, almost landing flat on his face as the adrenaline wore off and he stumbled over the loose shingle. His friends were at the Barrens, they'd help him. He pushed himself forward, staggering to his feet and ignoring the stinging water and itchy cotton that irritated his wound. Troy and James weren't too far behind him.

**THE BARRENS**

Down at the Barrens Mike, Lucas and Dustin were all standing in the mouth of the large sewer pipe that joined the river. Their bikes were discarded on the grassy bank and large willowy trees hung over the water. If the circumstances were different it would be a pleasant sight. "That's poison ivy and that's poison ivy and that's poison ivy." Dustin pointed to every green climber plant and had already begun scratching at his arms. Lucas rolled his eyes at him.

"Not everything is poison ivy Dustin." Ever the expert, Lucas was the Party's ranger and prided himself on always being prepared.

"Yeah? 'Cuz I'm already feeling itchy and-"

"Do you share a bathroom with your mom?" Lucas interrupted.

"Yeah." Dustin answered, not sure where the conversation was going.

"Then that's probably why." Lucas jibed. Dustin shoved him into the mouth of the sewer, rolling his eyes when Lucas ducked out as quick as he could. Mike had already wandered in but paused when he realised the others weren't following him.

"Aren't you coming?" Lucas shook his head vehemently.

"No way dude that's grey water."

"What's grey water?" Dustin asked, worried about another possible source of infection.

"It's basically piss and shit." Lucas elaborated. "I'm just saying you guys are splashing around in gallons of Hawkins sewage." Dustin wrinkled his nose and shuffled further away from the stream. Mike frowned, annoyed at Lucas for dissuading Dustin.

"Stop being babies, c'mon." The other two exchanged reluctant looks. "Please guys? I n-need to do this." His voice cracked before he angrily scowled to cover it up. Lucas sent a guilty glance towards Dustin before very slowly shuffling in after Mike, grimacing the entire time. He looked suitably revolted as he stood next to Mike and the two waited expectantly for Dustin as well. He hovered hesitantly at the mouth.

"Shouldn't we wait for Will?" He tried wheedling. When all he got was an exasperated huff from Lucas he tried again, "I mean we said we'd wait. Besides, can't you guys smell that, it's seriously unsanitary."

"I can't smell anything, maybe it's just your breath wafting back into your face."

"Seriously Lucas?" Lucas picked up a broken branch, his disgust seemingly forgotten as he tormented Dustin. "Because I can smell that from here and- AH!" He leapt back as Lucas flicked something grey and deformed that was dripping with sewage at him. "You're a piece of shit! Have you ever heard of a staff infection?"

"A staff infection?" Lucas raised his brows, clearly mocking the curly-haired boy. "I'll show-"

"GUYS!" Mike interrupted. He'd carried on whilst the two boys were arguing and was now crouched in the pipe, a single sullied sneaker in one hand and a flashlight in the other. The mood dropped by tenfold.

"Shit." Lucas swore. "Don't tell me that's-"

"No. Holly wore galoshes." He met Lucas and held his flashlight up so the other boy could read the name. In faded black marker were the words BARBRA HOLLAND. Lucas swore again. "It's Barb's." Mike informed Dustin. "Nancy's gonna be crushed." He muttered.

"Look, let's get out of here. I don't like this, we should call the police."

"How d'you think Barb feels? Hopping around here with only one shoe." Dustin tried to alleviate the tension but only succeeded in pissing off the other two. He held his hands up in surrender at the double glare.

"Do you think she's still here?" Lucas asked. Something sinister seemed to respond to the question and all three of the boys felt the hair on their arms stand up.

"If I was Barb I think I'd want us to find me." Mike said, sweeping his torch beam over the dripping walls curving further inward.

"What if I don't want to find her?" Lucas had backtracked back to the entrance next to Dustin. "I'm sorry Mike but I don't want to end up like H-" Dustin elbowed him sharply. "I don't want to go missing." He amended. Mike frowned between the two.

"You too?" He asked Dustin, flashing the light towards him. Dustin swallowed nervously.

"It's summer Mike, we're supposed to be having fun."

Before Mike could respond a great splash of water cascaded over the rocks and swilled up to their feet as something heavy landed in the water. Will was hunched over on all fours, coughing as the water receded and he tried staggering back to his feet. Mike was the first to move forward to help him. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked. The wound was bleeding much more profusely and now that the adrenaline had worn off Will was completely and utterly drained of energy. "Shit shit shit! Help me!" Mike called to the other two. In a flurry of action they'd propped Will up, his arms slung over Mike and Lucas's shoulders whilst Dustin ran towards the bikes.

Meanwhile Troy and James had split. James had headed upstream whilst Troy headed downstream towards the Barrens. A noise from up ahead had him smirking as he anticipated the hell fire he'd rain on the boys. He passed the Morlock Hole, a meshed over pipe that stuck upright out of the ground, and passed into the sewage drainpipe. There was no sign of the boys and so Troy crept further forward, rattling his canister to spook whoever was there. The only sound was the steady drip of water that trickled from above and into the shallow sewage. For a moment there was an eerie sort of whisper and Troy froze, goosebumps rising along his arms. It happened again and this time there was an echo, an echo of footsteps that reverberated lightly along the tunnel walls. Troy regained his confidence, "I can hear ya fag. Come out come out wherever you are." He giggled, an unhinged, unmanly giggle that conveyed his sick thrill of the chase. The high sound bounced in the underground space as Troy crept further in, water sloshing around his ankles.

Approaching the thicker darkness, Troy pulled out his lighter and rattled the canister again. A flickering tongue of flame shot out and licked at the retreating shadows. It illuminated the empty tunnel for a moment before blackness returned. Troy took a couple more steps, the distant sound of rumbling traffic came from above accompanied by the sound of... carnival music? No, the music disappeared and Troy shook his head. An unsettling feeling descended on the older boy but as a bully and not a victim he failed to recognise it as the survival instinct to flee. Instead he shook it off and lit up his makeshift flame thrower again. More grey water, more slimy walls and then more darkness.

Up ahead a single shaft of sunlight floated down from the sewer grate and Troy stepped up into it, listening. There's something there, something lurking in the darkness beyond, shuffling in the shallows. There's the pitter patter of footsteps and wet raspy breathing, sniffling like a small child with a runny nose. Troy stepped back into the darkness, uncomfortable being on display in the light. "Don't think you can stay down here all damn day now." He called with fake bravado. The familiar _whoosh_ of fire showed nothing. Darkness returned and a predatory silence settled in, except Troy got the feeling it was him who was now the prey.

_Whoosh_.

Dead children.

A crowd of them surrounded him, all staring with glassy eyes that flickered with the flames. Or maybe the orange glow was coming from within them. "You found us Troy." They all giggled unanimously, as if each and every one of them was a collective part of a hive mind. "You found us." They repeated as the flames flickered and died. It was the most utterly bone-chilling, soul-piercing sound he'd ever had the misfortune of hearing and even as his mouth dried up and his panicked mind screamed _RUN!_ he was frozen, paralysed by the corpses tittering just out of sight.

He flicked his lighter and pressed the nozzle but nothing happened other than a short hiss. He shook the canister up and down, the rattling sound it produced similar to that of a snake preparing to strike and the noise amplified in the rounded pipe. When the flame finally sputtered to life there were more of them, all with purple bruises blemishing the skin and gnawed and stubby limbs. Between them stood a taller child. It wasn't a child. It was Pennywise.

Troy almost dropped his lighter in shock at the clown. It grinned, slow and sinister before it began unhinging his jaw and revealed rows upon rows of deadly shark-like teeth. Darkness returned. Whilst Troy fumbled with his flamethrower Pennywise took the opportunity to strike and although Troy's vision was impaired his pain receptors weren't. He heard the _CRUNCH_ before he felt the bone splinter but when he did feel it his vocal cords almost shredded at the unearthly sound he made. The kids all reacted to the noise, clamouring loudly as they pressed in against him. They moved in a frenzied way, like piranhas promised fresh food.

As soon as Troy felt the thing relinquish its hold he took off running although not very fast and not very far due to his injuries. He threw himself into the light beneath the grate and tilted his head towards the sun, screaming and hollering for help. He looked awful, like a bad piece of grisly meat that had been chewed up and spat back out again. If anyone heard him above ground they certainly weren't in a rush to come help him. He almost cracked his neck as he looked behind him. Something fast was approaching yet making absolutely no noise in the water. It was only the rustling of fabric that gave it away but Troy still heard it and ran, his heart tap-dancing in his chest. A broken pipe spiked crookedly out of the water and Troy snatched it up, resigned to the fact he couldn't outrun the creature. "COME ON!" He yelled, brandishing the pipe like a baseball bat. There was only silence. "COME ON! LET'S GO ASSHOLE!" The fear was real but so was the instinct to survive. Neither flight nor freeze had worked so all that was left was to fight. He was bruised and bloody and running off of pure adrenaline, cornered like a caged animal. The anticipation was killing him but ever so slowly something floated towards him.

It stopped right in front of him and Troy was able to make it out as a bright red balloon. It squeaked as it turned, brushing against his fingertips and boasting an _I Love Hawkins_ slogan. The red plastic popped suddenly and revealed the face of the clown inches from Troy's nose. Before he could even open his mouth to scream Pennywise had lunged forward, dragging him into the blackness for good.

**© _ELIXB_ | _2020_**


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keene's Pharmacy with keen perverts

_"Beautiful in spite of the scabs, bruises, and smutches of dirt."_

IT ~ Stephen King

_JUNE, 1985_

**KEENE'S PHARMACY, HAWKINS**

The four boys were biking as fast as they could across town. Will was awkwardly sat behind Mike, his arms very loosely wrapped around the other boy's waist despite Mike telling him to hold on tighter. Dustin was jabbering to Lucas about the AIDS epidemic and the potential risk of Will's dirty blood which the dark skinned boy ignored. His face gained a slight pale twinge as they pulled into the alley between Keene's pharmacy and the butchers. He eyed the loading door furtively as they propped Will against it and let their bikes clatter to the ground. "You stay here." Dustin told Mike, "Lucas and I'll get the stuff." Relief washed over Lucas, he'd been prepared to protest but hesitant to divulge his weird hallucination to his friends, now he didn't have to do either. He made a mental note to be nicer to Dustin.

The pharmacy shone bright white with the combined effort of the sun and fluorescent light bulbs. From behind the counter Mr Keene watched them with beady eyes as Lucas pulled a few crumpled dollars from out of his pocket and tried smoothing out the wrinkles. "Do we have enough money for this?" He asked as Dustin pulled almost every available medical product of the shelves from cotton balls to antiseptic and bandages. He eyed the scruffy notes with distaste. "It's all we got." Lucas affirmed. Dustin frowned with his arms full before minutely jerking his head towards the door. Lucas shook his head. He disapproved of stealing, and besides Mr Keene was watching like a hawk. "Don't you have an account here?" He asked.

"Don't be an idiot Lucas, if my mom found out I bought all this I'll be spending the entire weekend down in the emergency room getting x-rayed." They both glanced back at Mr Keene who still hadn't taken his eyes off of them even as he refilled the prescriptions. Little boys had no business being in a pharmacy and so he adjusted his glasses to keep a better eye on them.

Two aisles over Max was almost as red as her hair as she tried to choose between the selection of tampons and pads. It wasn't her first period but it didn't make it any less uncomfortable every time she had to come down. She went with tampons, at least those could be flushed down the toilet. Choosing the ones with the least conspicuous packaging, Max headed over to the counter. Or she would have was Greta not coming down the same aisle. For a second Max panicked but luckily Greta had her nose in her bag and she was able to duck into the next aisle over. Unfortunately that meant she ran straight into Lucas and Dustin, sending the bandages rolling across the floor. "Great." Dustin muttered. "Now we have to get clean bandages." He scowled at Max like it was all her fault and she scowled right back, tucking her Tampax behind her back.

"Where's the fire?" She asked sarcastically, gesturing to the heap in his arms. Lucas grinned.

"None of your business." Dustin growled at the same time Lucas said,

"Our friend outside looks like he's been killed." Dustin wiggled one arm free to smack him. Max creased her brow and blinked rapidly trying to understand. "We don't have enough money though." Lucas elaborated, unaware or simply ignoring the betrayed look Dustin was giving him. Max nodded, not quite sure what she was supposed to do since she couldn't afford all that either. Then she spotted the boys' eyes darting to the door and leaned around Lucas to see Mr Keene glaring at them suspiciously.

"I got an idea." She said.

In the next couple seconds Max was standing before Mr Keene and placing her purchase on the counter with a charming smile. Never one to ignore a pretty girl's attention, he smiled right back whilst he rang it up on the till. Max leaned forward over the counter, not in an immodest way but enough to block the boys from view. "I love your glasses Mr Keene." He shot her an odd sort of look as he handed back her change but Max smiled disarmingly and carried on, "You look just like Clark Kent." He chuckled slightly and adjusted them on his nose all flustered.

"Oh, well I don't know-"

"Can I try them?" Max interrupted, ignoring his blustering and pretending to be eager. She smiled again to help persuade him, idly thinking that she'd smiled far more in the last few minutes than she had in the last couple days.

Mr Keene swept his gaze over the store for a moment before fixing back on the redhead in front of him. "Um, sure." It was a peculiar request but Max's radiant beam washed away any doubt. She settled the wire frame on the bridge of her nose and adjusted the lenses to angle more flatteringly on her face. She took a moment, almost as if shy, before raising her head to look at Mr Keene. If she hadn't been only fourteen the look she gave him would certainly have been described as coy.

"What d'you think?" She asked innocently.

"Well would you look at that." Mr Keene said, balancing on his elbows to lean across the counter closer to her. "You look just like Louis Lane." His eyes were not on the glasses and Max's smile tightened.

"Really?" She asked with enough force to bring his eyes back up to hers. She fixed him with that innocent look again and he nodded with a weighted glance. _He's probably heard the rumours from that bitch Greta_ Max thought. "Here you go." She took off his glasses and held them out towards him, at the last moment veering her arm into the gum display case and knocking it to the floor. "I'm so sorry." She said when actually she wasn't the least bit sorry at all. The crash had killed the weird vibe he was trying to send her as he sighed wearily and surveyed the mess on the floor.

"It's ok." He said blandly, getting onto his knees to pick it all up. _Perv_ Max thought as she turned around and shot a glance behind her to make sure the boys were gone. They both caught her eye and went for the door, Lucas tripping over the sunglasses display and almost bringing Dustin down with him. Thankfully the noise didn't call for Mr Keene's attention, neither did the bell above the door as they exited. Max felt a genuine smile tugging at her mouth as she watched the clumsy boys go. Mr Keene coughed from the floor and Max rolled her eyes, making no effort to help. Instead she picked up her tampons, slid a pack of Camels off of the counter and apologised a couple more times before leaving as well.

Outside she spotted Lucas waiting for her by the entrance of the alley. He smiled goofily and waved as she approached. "Hi Max." She huffed out a laugh. "Um thanks for y'know uh helping us out back there." He pulled the few crumpled dollars out of his pocket and offered them to her. She waved him off, flashing the stolen pack of cigarettes.

"Even Stevens." She said, turning her body around to see into the alley. Dustin was crouched before a boy with Mike hovering anxiously at his side.

"Buzz off Mike, I know what I'm doing and you're not helping."

"Do you though?"

"Yeah now piss off. Lucas'll probably have something in his fanny pack."

"Why does Lucas have a fanny pack?"

"I don't know do I?" Lucas blushed in embarrassment, slightly turning away from Max to try and conceal it. Max laughed at him. Her laugh drew the attention of the others and as they all swivelled around to see her, she was able to make out the familiar boy's face.

"Will?" She knew all about his queerness from Billy but more importantly she knew that he was the kindest of souls that would never even harm a fly. "You ok?" She asked and he flushed in embarrassment.

"I just fell." He mumbled.

"Yeah straight into Billy Hargrove." Mike said. Dustin swatted him and Lucas sent a nervous look her way but she ignored both in favour of assessing Will's puncture wound.

"You sure they got the right stuff? That doesn't look too good." She gestured to the blood soaked bandages and soiled shirt.

"What would you know?" Dustin said, defending his medical skills. For some reason it rubbed Max the wrong way and she bristled at his hostility.

"First you stop the bleeding, then you clean the wound and then you bandage it." She said acidly. "Trust me I skateboard." She said in response to their blank looks. Dustin grumbled but removed the bandages anyway. "Keep your hand pressed firmly over it and keep the pressure constant to ease up the blood flow." She commented. Dustin whispered something snidely under his breath that Max ignored. She knew he probably meant well.

Lucas awkwardly sort of tapped Max's arm to get her attention. "Hey, uh Max we were thinking of going down to the Quarry tomorrow morning. Maybe we'll see you there?" He asked hopefully. Max smiled at the invitation but didn't miss the frosty look Mike sent their way.

"Maybe you will." She replied. Lucas's eyes practically sparkled and there was just something about him that made Max want to start grinning uncontrollably. She managed to hold it in though, aware of the rest of group and realising that she'd probably overstayed her welcome. "Well it's been fun, I guess I'll see you guys around." She did a little sort of half-wave before backtracking out of there and leaving them behind.

Lucas was still smiling when Mike nudged him angrily. "What the hell Lucas? You can't just invite anyone to Party events without consulting the rest of the Party." Lucas scowled.

"What's your problem Mike? She basically just saved Will."

"So what? That doesn't automatically make it ok. Or did you forget that we're a democracy?"

"So what?! Geez Mike. Y'know, never mind just forget about it because she probably isn't even coming anyway, nice job bringing up Billy in front of her."

Will turned to Dustin. "What about Billy?" He whispered. Unlike the others he tended to actively avoid any and all gossip so was usually left out of the loop about everything.

"You know they're siblings right?"

"Step." Will automatically corrected, remembering Max insisting on it in health class.

"Yeah, anyway I heard that the whole family is in to freaky shit. Like seriously messed up stuff. Apparently they moved from California because Billy killed people and the cops are still looking for them." Dustin whispered. Will scrunched his nose up.

"That's so not true." He said but Dustin was nodding vigorously.

"What's so hard to believe, look at what he did to you." He pointed out. By now Lucas and Mike were paying attention.

"So what'd she do?" Will asked but this time it was Mike instead of Dustin who answered.

"More like who'd she do, I heard the list is longer than my wang." Lucas punched Mike lightly in the shoulder.

"That's not saying much." Will commented innocently and Mike's mouth dropped open whilst Lucas and Dustin almost lost their shit. Will rarely ever made a joke at the expense of someone else but when he did you could guarantee it would be funny.

"Hey, no, stop." Mike complained whilst the other three continued to laugh.

**HOPPER CABIN**

Meanwhile outside of town on the very outskirts of Hawkins El Hopper sat curled up in the corner of her bed. Hopper wouldn't be back for a couple more hours and for the entire time that it had taken to walk home the day's harassment had been replaying over and over in her head. Now within the confines of her bedroom El allowed herself to break down. Flashes of memory and overwhelming surges of various sensations and emotions clouded her head. Her papa was not a nice man, neither were the other children and El felt the panic peak to an almost insurmountable level. She knew that if she tipped past that point that she'd spiral into an awful uncontrollable depression that she'd be unable to reign in for hours. Instead she tried to calm her racing heart and even out her breaths, focusing on the present and the surroundings. Hop was going to come home and she'd be fine, she tried practising the techniques he'd showed her to calm down. Hop was the nice policeman that rescued her. Everything was going to be ok. She finally managed to reach the stage where her head wasn't so crowded. Tears still streamed down her cheeks and her stomach was cramped from being all hunched over but now her chest was hollow instead of tight and she felt exhaustion rather than just blind panic.

With a clearer head El moved into the bathroom to try and wash away the sticky tear tracks off of her face. The bulb flickered several times before it finally remained still and the feeble rays of light glanced harshly off of her hair. El stood staring at it in the mirror, twirling her fingers around the ends loosely. The boys liked her hair. So did papa. A surge of disgust rose up inside of her and she felt the awful taste of bile sliding up her throat before she managed to force it back down. Her silver scissors practically whispered to her. Surprisingly El obliged to the temptation and rose the shiny blades to the end of her locks. For a brief moment she met her eyes in the mirror and the full force of the boy's words plagued her. Instead of panic and desperation though, she now felt anger. Hot anger that spiked sharply through her and caused her hand to sever a huge chunk of hair. More confident now she continued, hacking at the brown curls with a viciousness she didn't fully understand. A circle of hair surrounded her on the bathroom tiles as she continued cutting and snipping. Finally she raised her head again to the mirror, her anger hollowing her out even further and leaving an empty cavity that quickly filled with self doubt. She'd managed a semi-decent bob that just tucked under her jaw and curled prettily around her face, emphasising her big doe eyes. She thought that she looked like a boy. Tears welled up again but she forcibly reminded herself that this is what she wanted, no one else would harass her now she wasn't pretty. She turned away to go back to burying in her bed covers and crying.

**HARGROVE RESIDENCE**

Speaking of crying, Max was not a crier. She did not cry simply because she refused to give anyone the pleasure of watching her break down. But now she felt like she was about to cry. She'd walked home to avoid Billy and prayed that Neil would be out at work. When she'd first entered the house she thought she'd gotten lucky. Unfortunately she was rarely lucky and as she tried darting down the hall towards her bedroom she was intercepted by a great hulk of a man. He wasn't very tall nor was he wide but what he lacked in build he made up for with presence, his anger and discipline adding an extra foot of shadowy fear. When Max was younger she used to believe monsters were long slender things with devil horns and cruel smiles. She still thought that, although now they were more humanoid in shape with malicious eyes and calloused palms.

"What've you got there Maxine?" His voice was low and rough like sandpaper which reminded Max of a volcano simmering just before it decided to erupt.

"Just some things." He caught her wrist sharply and raised a warning brow. "Dad." She tacked onto the end. It appeased him slightly and he let go of her arm, his fingerprints likely bruised onto the tender skin. Heart still beating loudly Max made to duck past him but was once again stopped when he reached out and snagged her paper bag. In that moment she was thankful that she'd had the foresight to hide the cigarettes in her shorts. The moment didn't last long though as his hand withdrew brandishing the Tampax package. She froze as panic reared its ugly head and her saliva ducts seemed just as paralysed as the rest of her as her mouth dried up and her brain desperately scrabbled for an excuse that wasn't what it actually was. Her chest started heaving and any words that had half formed immediately died in her throat as his large hands reached for her neck.

"What did I say about lying Maxine." He whispered threateningly.

"I didn't lie." She protested feebly. His hand tightened around her neck and she felt completely and utterly powerless beneath him. He regarded her malevolently, feeding off of her fear before he slowly loosened his grip- his hard eyes softening slightly as he moved his hand to cup her cheek. The many scars scratching against her skin reminded Max of the many scars he and his son had had inflicted on others and a surge of helpless hate lodged itself in her throat.

"Are you still my little girl Maxine?" He asked almost tenderly were it not for the cruel mirth dancing in his eyes. She wanted to scream _NO!_ to run away or fight back but instead she looked away and lowered her head demurely.

"Yes sir." His lips tightened but he replaced her purchase and after a tense pause nodded his permission for her to leave, ruffling her hair as she hurried past. In the relative safety of her room Max let a single tear escape and slide down her cheek.

**_© ELIXB|_ _2020_ **


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kids having fun.

_"A friend is someone that you'd do anything for. You lend them your cool stuff, like comic books and trading cards. And they never break a promise."_

Stranger Things ~ The Duffer Brothers

_JUNE 1985_

**HAWKINS POLICE STATION**

Hop wasn't mad at El for cutting her hair, rather he was more upset that she hadn't called him when she started spiralling. "It's you and me kid." He'd said later that night, poking his head into her room and tucking her in despite her protests that she was too old for that. He'd even made eggos for dinner to try and make her feel better and in return she'd told him all about Billy and his gang. He'd gotten angry then, not at her but it was still frightening. Hop had ranted and raved about the gang, growling dangerously and threatening the whole Hargrove family. He didn't want to leave her on her own the next day so insisted she come into work with him.

So that was why El was outside the Hawkins police department with a special ordered coffee for Hop when she ran into Max, quite literally. The redhead swore loudly as she grabbed onto the brunette to catch herself and almost upset the hot coffee everywhere. Her skateboard continued on gliding down the road even though its occupant was now flailing wildly to maintain her balance on solid ground. El got a mouth full of hair and automatically tried to spit it out but she only succeeded in inhaling more. "Sorry! Shit I'm sorry." Max finally found her footing and sprang away from El like she'd been burnt, sweeping her long tresses behind her and allowing El to breath again. El curled a finger through her own locks self consciously. Hop had called it bitchin, not pretty.

Max tried to apologise again since usually about now they'd start squawking and hurling slurs at her. To her surprise she was met with only silence except for the occasional gag and when she took a closer look at the girl she'd almost flattened she recognised the familiar face. "El?" She exclaimed, a large grin blooming. El smiled shyly back whilst covertly pulling ginger strands off of her tongue. Max noticed anyway and laughed. "Sorry." She repeated, although this time much more cheerfully. "Your hair?" She said, reaching out to touch it before realising what she was doing and awkwardly dropping her arm back to her side. El blushed, expecting the insults however she was pleasantly wrong. "It's cute." Max complimented, tilting her head to the side. "And it suits you better." She added. Something warm fluttered in El's chest. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Max gestured to the precinct in front of them curiously.

"Hop." El replied, lifting up the coffee cup. Max pulled a face.

"Sorry. He's your dad isn't he? That sucks to be stuck here all day." El shrugged.

"Better than being alone." She said and Max grinned.

"Sure." She agreed. "Although I've just had an awesome idea, why don't you come hang out with me? You won't be alone then." El frowned.

"I hang out with you?" She asked. When Max nodded El glanced towards the station contemplatively. "I have to ask Hop." She said firmly but Max merely rolled her eyes.

"Ok, fine. But please come 'cuz otherwise I'm stuck on my own with a bunch of lame ass boys. I need girl backup." She pleaded and El's lips twitched.

"Hop won't allow boys." She said.

"So don't tell him." Max replied as if the answer was obvious. El frowned again but relented at Max's puppy dog eyes. They weren't the slightest bit good but it was ridiculously endearing to watch her try. El smothered a giggle.

"Come in with me." She said but Max shook her head.

"Uh no thanks. Sorry but cops and I don't mix." She scrunched up her nose and then, as if realising what she'd said might dissuade El, she hastily added "But don't worry I'm totally responsible, it's more a family thing really. Besides I've gotta rescue my board." She jerked her thumb towards the red skateboard that had tootled to a stop under an officer's car. El wasn't happy but she nodded anyway. "Don't worry," Max reassured, "I'll be waiting right here for you." She gave a cheeky thumbs up before darting away to grab her board.

El walked into the office and smiled politely at Flo. The old dear was always doting on her and El hoped she'd be able to help convince Hop to let her go. "You got the coffee alright then deary?" She asked and El held up the still warm cup in response.

"I met a friend." She said and Flo clapped delightedly.

"Oh that's splendid dear." El nodded, a small smile making an appearance on her face.

"She wants to hang out but I have to ask Hop first." Flo hummed in approval.

"There's a good girl." She said. "But if Hopper gives you any trouble you just tell him to see me. A girl ought to be spending her summer with friends, not with her father." El grinned happily, glad she now had the upper hand.

When she entered Hop's office he was smoking a cigarette with his feet propped up on the desk. "Took you long enough." He grumbled when she set the coffee down, reaching out a hand to ruffle her short curls.

"I met a friend." El said. Hopper frowned suspiciously.

"What friend?" He asked.

"A girlfriend." El said, causing Hopper to splutter on his coffee.

"Jeez kid, don't go saying that around here." He warned. It was sad that El didn't even have to ask why.

"She's the one I told you about from school." She said.

"The nutter who signed a piece of paper for you and caused you to crack your Walkman?" El scowled. "Sorry kid, what's her name?"

"Max." El replied surly.

"Don't take that attitude with me kiddo. I don't recall any Max?"

"She's really pretty and nice and she's waiting outside for me." El insisted.

"You've met her like twice." El scowled and Hopper rolled his eyes. "But you said she's waiting outside?" El nodded. "Well then let's go meet this Max shall we?" He went to grab his hat but El shook her head.

"No cops." El said firmly, causing Hopper's eyebrows to raise.

"No cops eh?" Something clicked into place and Hopper's expression darkened. "You remember compromise don't you El? Halfway happy? Yeah, you're not going anywhere until I meet Maxine." El scowled fiercely.

"Not halfway happy." She muttered.

"Tough luck kiddo." Hopper responded, already leading her through the door and out towards the front of the precinct. Flo gave El an encouraging smile.

Outside Max was passing time by doing stupid little tricks on her board, simple things like an ollie and a shuvit. To be honest she wasn't entirely sure why she was trying so hard to get El to come, it just seemed like the right thing to do. She regretted her moment of being a good Samaritan though when she spotted the police chief stomping his way towards her. El was tiny in comparison, tagging along by his elbow. She caught Max's eye and shrugged sheepishly.

Hopper stopped in front of the girl. She was tiny but already her spine was stiffening and she added another two feet of attitude. "Maxine." He growled. Something dark flashed through her eyes.

"Chief." She replied mockingly. El groaned and buried her head in her hands. The two ignored her.

"Whatever tricks you're up to you leave my daughter out of it. Understand Hargrove?"

"It's Mayfield actually."

"Don't think you're pulling the wool over my eyes, apples never fall far from their trees."

"Good thing I'm from a different tree then isn't it chief?" Max quipped. It took him aback. Now he thought about it the only close resemblance to the Hargrove males was the stubborn set of her jaw and the shadows behind her eyes. He grunted and Max smirked.

"I've heard things about you Mayfield."

"...All good I presume." Was her delayed response, a little taken aback by the correct use of her last name.

"Only from my daughter. There are worse things I hear floating around."

"It's a good thing you don't take too much stock in rumours then isn't it? Or else you'd be a crappy cop." She said and he huffed out what might have been a laugh, a grudging respect growing. El looked up hopefully.

"What do you plan on doing then?" He asked, still hesitant to let El go. Max rolled her eyes.

"Strip naked and join the potheads at the junkyard." Max deadpanned. El groaned whilst Hopper rose a few shades in colour, although it was more in anger than embarrassment. "Relax chief, seriously if there's anyone that I wouldn't mess about it's the chief of police's daughter. We're just gonna go to the quarry and chill." Hopper wasn't convinced but relented at El tugging on his arm.

"Please?" She asked, her doe eyes far more effective than Max's. Hopper heaved a heavy sigh and scratched at the stubble on his chin.

"Fine. Go to the quarry but I want you back by seven."

"Nine." El bargained.

"Eight." Max chimed in, smiling angelically in response to Hopper's scowl.

"No way, think of the curfew. Seven on the dot, not a second later understood?" El pouted but threw her arms around him anyway. He stumbled slightly in surprise. "Ok kiddo." He said gruffly, his eyes softening as he returned the hug. "Be careful ok? And don't try any funny business Mayfield or else I will haul your ass into lockup." Max mockingly saluted him as she and El took off running down the road, their hands linked together and giggling like preschoolers.

**THE QUARRY**

The greenish blue water of the quarry looked very far away from where the boys stood on top of the cliff. All four of them were there, including Will with a small white bandage. They'd stripped down to their underwear/swim trunks but Lucas was the only one who stood confidently. The others were either hunched over or had their arms wrapped around themselves. Dustin was slightly pudgy around the middle whereas Will was as thin as a rake, his ribs sticking out prominently. Mike was just gangly, his lanky limbs causing him to look like some sort of noodle-spider.

"So who's going first?" Lucas asked. As one they all leaned over the edge to look at the flat water. The sun bounced off of it harshly making it look very solid. Mike nudged Lucas forward but he shook him off, both skittering away from the edge as they shoved each other. Meanwhile the two girls had snuck up from behind. They'd stopped on the way so El could change into Max's swimsuit (Max insisting that she was comfortable in her underwear) which had caused the girls to snicker like fools as they tried to hide El in the bushes. Now they watched the boys antics bemusedly.

"I'll go!" Max called out, almost laughing as all four heads whipped around. El hovered nervously at her side whilst Max dropped her skateboard to the ground and slung her bag down next to it. Her shirt was up and over her head within seconds and her shorts joined the pile very soon after. She gave El a reassuring grin before kicking off her trainers and racing for the edge, shooting past the boys and taking a flying leap off of the cliff. Her legs and arms windmilled for a second in the air like a cartoon before gravity took a hold. "SISSIES!" She cried out as she plummeted towards the water.

"What the fuck!" Mike yelled as they all hurried to the edge and crowded around the lip of stone she'd just launched off of. El had her mouth wide open in horror as she craned her neck to see if the crazy redhead had made it safely.

Little did they know that Max had been cliff jumping, or tomb-stoning as the locals called it, since she was a little girl back in Cali. Her dad's voice came into her head, reminding her to angle just steeper than 45 degrees to avoid the stinging lash as she broke the water's surface. _Quarry water is very different from sea water_ Max thought idly as she sank into the murky depths. For one when she opened her eyes the water didn't carry the usual sting of salt and for another it was almost oppressive in its silence. She also had to work harder to kick back up to the surface since she didn't have the waves nor the salt to help buoy her along.

"We just got shown up by a girl!" Dustin complained. "Oh, uh sorry." He said, catching El's scowl. "Who're you anyway?" Mike slapped Dustin's shoulder.

"Dude!" He hissed but got no further as Max's exhilarated whoop echoed up to them from below. They all watched her surface, a mere smudge some fifteen feet below.

"Do we have to do that now?" Will asked, watching the red head waving at them. Lucas, never one to back down from a challenge, only grinned as he took a couple steps back before propelling himself over the edge and shrieking as he plunged into the quarry. Dustin seemed to take Lucas's jump as personal offence and puffed himself up before following right behind him, although his screams were a tad more manly. Hell even Will managed to take the leap after a moments hesitation, his eyes screwed tight shut as he soared over the edge whilst muttering every prayer he knew. All too soon it was just Mike and El.

El slipped out of her flannel and shorts until she stood in Max's one-piece swimsuit. It fit awkwardly since Max was slightly bustier but smaller in height. Mike tried not to stare, becoming even more self conscious. "You ok?" He asked since she was shaking. El nodded, not really trusting herself to speak as her fingers trembled violently and her knees knocked together the closer she got to the edge. Mike's smile was strained as he too crept closer to the lip of rock. "Y'know we don't have to jump." He said and El looked at him curiously. "We could always take the path down there and meet them at the bottom." He pointed to a cluster of shrubs concealing a narrow path and El pondered it for a moment. Although tempting as it seemed she ended up shaking her head.

"They did it." She said, gesturing to their friends splashing about.

"Well yeah but they're wastoids." Mike said.

"Wastoids?"

"Uh yeah, basically they're idiots."

"Max isn't stupid." El defended, feeling protective over her first friend. Mike rolled his eyes.

"Ok they're not dumb but they're idiots in a y'know lovable way." Mike tried to explain, floundering over his words. El still didn't understand but she nodded along anyway. "So are we going down the path?" Mike asked and El peered over the edge again. The others had stopped playing and were evidently waiting for the other two. El fixated her gaze on Max as she faintly heard the other girl chanting her name encouragingly.

"No." She said determinedly. Mike heaved a long suffering sigh.

"Fine. Together then?" He held out his hand and as El curled her toes over the rock she felt such an onrush of dizziness that she gratefully clutched onto him. He was just as nervous as she was, if not more so, but nodded encouragingly as they both stepped back together before running forwards and launching themselves over the edge. Mike's strides were longer than hers so he flew further out, their hands breaking apart mid air.

For a moment everything was weightless and then dread seemed to anchor her to the world and hurtle her towards the water. Excitement flew to her head and her stomach swooped in a jubilant combination of fear and freedom. The reckless feeling ripped a holler out of her mouth as she sank into the water and became submerged in the green water world.

When she came up for air she once again found herself suffocating on ginger hair as the other girl launched herself at El, cheering in celebration. "That was awesome El!" She cried, splashing water everywhere as she hugged the other girl. El grinned, her eyes alight with dazed glee. "Wanna do it again?" Max asked to which El vehemently shook her head causing Max to laugh even harder. Both were riding on the waves of the adrenaline and felt giddy with the sheer thrill of it. The rush of falling fifteen feet created a dizzying glow that bounced around everyone, causing huge grins to swell across their faces.

"Max you made it!" Lucas called out and Max let go of El to drift across to him.

"Wow stalker, you only just noticed?" He laughed and slapped the water, splashing her in the face.

"So who's the new girl?" Dustin asked, kicking his way over to them.

"Oh yeah," Max remembered, "guys meet El. El meet the guys. There's Lucas and Will and... uh... wait do I seriously not know your names?" Her brow creased as she tried to recall their names. She knew Will from health class and Lucas from chem but she couldn't for the life of her remember the others. Mike rolled his eyes.

"I'm Mike and this is Dustin." He said, his eyes on El and not Max. Max harrumphed quietly and crossed her arms as El smiled shyly back at him.

Lucas, always the mediator, broke the tension by jumping Max from behind and dunking her underwater. She came up coughing and spitting curses everywhere before tackling him right back and sending both him and Dustin under. A splash fight broke out and quickly escalated into a full on war with every man for themselves. El skittered onto the rocks so she was only submerged up to her waist, using the height advantage to build up bigger momentum for her splashes. Will grabbed her and pulled her off but she toppled into him and they both went under. Max dived deeper and deeper before snaking her hands around Mike's ankles and yanking him down forcefully. His cries became garbled as he was suddenly dragged through the water and abruptly disappeared from the surface. His eyes locked onto Max's mischievous ones before she darted away, twisting fluidly in the water with her hair floating around her. Mike thought that she bore an uncanny resemblance to those devil-like murder mermaids that drowned poor unsuspecting sailors for fun.

"It's so on Mayfield!" He choked out as he resurfaced. "Will come here!" Will didn't get much say as Mike grabbed his shoulder and pulled him closer. Lucas caught onto his wavelength and hoisted Max out of the water by her waist.

"Lucas what the hell?" She shrieked.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Dustin chanted, pumping his fists in the air as he clambered onto El's rock. She joined him, watching curiously as Will sat atop Mike's shoulders and Max on top of Lucas's. Mike and Lucas charged each other, both having moved to the shallower end to avoid another Max tactic, whilst Will and Max yelled fierce war cries. Dustin and El cheered on the side as the two teams met and Max and Will shoved and pushed to try and topple the other one. Mike and Lucas were trying to balance on the uneven rocky bed, the water supporting them whilst their partners wobbled in the air. "WOOH!" Dustin hollered as Will and Max locked arms before Will was able to shake her off and then, whilst she was still unsteady, shoved her hard in the chest to unseat her. She careened backwards just as Mike moved in and body slammed Lucas. The two lost the fight as they toppled backwards into the water and sent up an almighty wave of water. Mike and Will cheered with victory as they both raised their arms in triumph. El found herself giggling as Lucas and Max reappeared with matching grins before they charged at Mike and took both him and Will down with them.

Later they all returned to the top of the quarry where they lounged around on the rocks and soaked up the sun. El stretched out like a cat next to Max whilst the other girl's stereo blasted Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. "This is real music?" El quipped, arching a brow. Max knocked her shoulder playfully.

"Shut up." Was her brilliant comeback. The boys averted their eyes as both girls turned towards them and Max rolled her eyes whilst El blushed.

"What happened to your hair?" Mike said, gesturing to El's shortened locks in an effort to overlook the awkward moment. Unfortunately it put El on the spot and caused her to curl in on herself embarrassed.

"It looks great." Max cut in, sending a glare towards Mike.

"That's what I was going to say." Mike muttered, coaxing a hesitant smile out of El. Annoyed, Max got up and brushed past Lucas and Dustin to plonk herself next to Will. The other two boys had just dived into some sort of argument about X-Men but Will was staring at Mike and El with the same sort of irritation as Max. He looked up startled when she sat next him, fear in his eyes as she huffed. Immediately she softened and attempted a smile.

"How's the wound?" She asked, indicating the fresh bandage since the old one had gotten soggy in the water.

"S'okay." He replied, lifting the edge to show her. It had stopped bleeding and the skin had started to knit itself back together. "Thanks for yesterday by the way, I think it'd be a lot worse if you hadn't helped." He said. Max gave a tight smile but her eyes were on the jagged F sticking out on his stomach. The skin was an angry red and puckered.

"I'm sorry." She said and Will frowned questioningly. "For Billy." She explained. "I'm not like him, I promise." The guilt was crushing her the longer she looked at Will. No doubt it would scar and become a painful reminder of everything wrong in the world. Will's hand covering her own startled her.

"I know." He said. "None of us think that." His eyes were open and his smile was warm but Max felt the weight of Mike's glares, Dustin's suspicion and the chief's anger hanging over her like a guillotine blade waiting to drop. She lowered her eyes and withdrew her hand.

"Max-" Will tried but she interrupted him.

"That'll make a wicked scar." She said, pointing to his injury. He lost his words in confusion, unsure where she was going with it. "You can start building a badass reputation." She carried on, giving him a grin that was a little too wide. He smiled weakly in return.

"Not sure there's much hope for that." He joked feebly but Max laughed anyway, perhaps a little too high pitched but her heart was in her mouth as she barrelled on.

"It'll work for sure, I mean it did for me." She confessed, her last statement coming out in a rush. Before she could regret it she hooked a finger under the cotton band of her panties and lifted it up higher over her hip. Will stared in horror at the raised H on her leg. It wasn't slashed cleanly like his but was instead carved roughly, leaving a grisly, lumpy scar. Max coughed nervously, the others still blissfully unaware. She was cursing herself for doing that but she wanted Will to understand that she wasn't like Billy, that if anything she was like them, a victim too. The longer he stared the more she regretted it and she let the material slip snugly over it again.

"What's the H for?" Will asked quietly.

"Whore." Max said quickly. "Billy's never been the brightest bulb." She hastily covered. She wasn't about to tell him that it actually stood for Hargrove and was made as a reminder of who she _belonged_ to, Neil's words not hers. Will's eyes were too full of concern for Max's comfort. "What about yours?" She asked.

"Faggot I think, or maybe fairy." Will answered.

"Is it true?" Max asked, genuinely curious. Will stared at her for a second, searching for any malicious intent. He didn't find any and when his eyes met hers again he gave a singular sharp nod. Max let out a huff. "Wow." She muttered and he nodded, his eyes glazing over. "Hey, uh do me a favour and don't mention this to the others." Max said, gesturing to her leg.

"I won't tell if you don't." Will promised, holding his pinky up. Max laughed and curled her finger around his, both swearing each other to secrecy. "It's not easy being in love with the wrong person." He whispered and Max smiled knowingly.

"You're too old." She joked, bumping their shoulders. "You sound like an old wise man." He smiled.

"Who's an old wise man?" Dustin called.

"Will of course." Max called back, rolling her eyes.

"No duh, that's why we call him Will the Wise." Mike said and Will smiled bashfully from next to Max.

Lucas, obviously bored, had pulled out the postcard from El's open knapsack. "Who sent you this?" He called and El shot up so fast he didn't even have time to read it before it was safely in her hands.

"No one." She muttered, catching everyone's attention. She went red to the roots of her hair and commandeered her backpack back off of Lucas, stashing the card at the bottom of the bag.

"What's with all the books?" Dustin asked. "Newsflash but school's out for summer. Wait do homeschool kids even have summer?" Lucas shook his head at the curly haired boy as Will and Max made their way over.

"I have summer." El confirmed, smiling as Max sat next to her. She eyed the redhead's pile of clothes, more specifically her bag buried beneath them.

"So what's with the history project?" Will asked, pulling out a book entitled Hawkin's History.

"Hawkins is different. I moved a lot with my sister. We went to lots of places but then I come here with Hop and it's not the same. Things happened, bad things." Lucas leaned over Will's shoulder to read the heading in an old black and white photograph. It was dated around 1876 and depicted the fallout of an explosion at the steel works. They shared a look before Will leafed through and found many articles and photographs following the same theme.

"Why all the dead people?" He asked. El shrugged.

"Bad things." She repeated.

"But that's like any other town though right?" Dustin said. "I mean history's basically made up of bad people doing bad things." Lucas snorted.

"You should read the bible." He commented.

"No, El's right." Max said ignoring Lucas. "Hawkins isn't like any other place I've been either. I mean Billy was a dick before back in Cali, but now he's just angry all the time. There's like a bad vibe around here." El nodded.

"People go missing six times the national average." She said, parroting the fact she'd read the other day. "That's just adults. Kids are worse. Way worse." She said solemnly.

"You read that?" Mike asked and she nodded.

"I have more at home." She said.

"Can we see?" Dustin asked but El hesitated. She caught Max's eye and they both shared the same thought of _Hopper_. Max shook her head.

"Maybe not today guys. We've had enough excitement, besides we've all got curfew soon." Indeed when the boys checked their wrist watches it was already six o'clock. "El and I should probably go but what about tomorrow?" They guys all nodded in agreement and everyone started to pack up ready to go.

Max pulled on her trainers and waited for El to do the same before they waved to the boys and set off amidst a chorus of goodbyes. El handed Max her backpack and skateboard. They split ways, El and Max heading away from town whilst the boys headed towards it. "What happened to your sister?" Max asked as they walked, tucking her skateboard under her arm.

"She's waiting in Chicago." El said.

"Is that what you're gonna do after school then? Go back to Chicago and find her?" El nodded. They carried on in silence for a bit until Max broke it. "I'm gonna go back to California." She said quietly. "I'm gonna try and find my dad, stupid I know since if he wanted me I'd be there." El caught her wrist.

"Not stupid." She said, her eyes boring into Max's with such sincerity that Max couldn't help but believe her.

"Not stupid." She echoed and a small smile crept onto her face. El relaxed, letting go of her wrist and continuing to walk.

"Where is your house?" She asked as they turned onto a small track winding into the forest.

"Oh it's way back there on the other side of town." Max said. "I live on Cherry Tree Lane which is on the south side of town, just off of Mirkwood actually." El frowned.

"What about curfew?" She asked worriedly and Max laughed.

"Screw curfew." She said, sounding much more like herself. "They haven't caught me yet." She winked conspiratorially but El didn't smile, worry gnawed at her gut.

"But the missing people." She insisted.

"Relax El, you worry too much. I'll be fine." She assured. El wasn't convinced but conceded the argument. The continued in companionable silence until they reached the trip wire surrounding the property. El pointed it out to Max before the somewhat clumsy redhead could set it off.

"Careful." She warned and Max rolled her eyes, stepping over it easily. They could see the cabin through the trees, the lights inside glowing welcomingly.

"Guess that means the chief's home." Max said, pausing in the woods. "You think you can make it the rest of the way without me?" She asked smirking and El smiled.

"I'll manage." She said. "Do you know the way home?" She asked, concern creeping into her voice. Max nodded reassuringly. "Max-" She called out as the redhead turned to leave but hesitated when she met her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Uh nothing. Have a goodnight." She finished lamely as Max waved her off.

"You too." The other girl called as she disappeared into the trees. All the way up to the cabin porch El was expecting to hear the trip wire go off. It didn't and El allowed herself to entertain the possibility of Max coming to visit her more often.

**© _ELIXB_ | _2020_**


	7. 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freaky things start to happen

_"You'll float too."_

IT ~ Stephen King

_JUNE, 1985_

**MIRKWOOD, HAWKINS**

Dustin was walking home alone after he'd split ways from Mike. Every now and then he'd keep checking over his shoulder, feeling a presence behind him. Nothing was ever there but it still made Dustin twitchy especially as he turned onto Mirkwood. Normally he'd avoid the street but the party had split up late and curfew was nearly upon them. It wasn't a particularly horrifying street; it had a couple houses (they were never lived in for long), a broken stop sign and on the corner there was the old steel works which had long since been abandoned. Dustin crossed to the other side of the road as he approached the steel works. The corrugated metal and rusty frames were hazy like the building wasn't entirely there and no matter how much sunlight illuminated the street it was always dim, worse now that dusk was fast approaching. Something seemed to ground him to a halt opposite the plot like a giant magnet pulling him towards the deserted works. Ratty sunflowers twined through the gaps in the chain link fence and were aesthetic in a sort of horror DnD way. Dustin checked over his shoulder again but no one was there. The prickling feeling intensified when he noticed the previously shut door swinging open on its hinges. If there was one thing that Dustin hated it was the unexplainable occurrences of paranormal activity. Science was his niche (he firmly believed magic counted as a science), he liked to know the how and the why and so when that comfort was taken away it left behind a sharp thrill of fear in its place.

The sudden beeping of his watch violently startled him. His other hand came clamping down on the little square face with a dizzying speed. The obnoxious noise was muffled beneath his palm as he anxiously checked the area. A skittering caught his attention and suspicious eyes watched the dead shrubs with rapt attention. Dustin was very prepared to bolt, he'd even half raised his arm ready to keep his hat in place, but the bushes rustled again and he was caught in something of a tractor beam when a dainty pink egg rolled onto the path. It was one of those classic Easter eggs used in Easter hunts and Dustin mused that curiosity was as much a curse as it was a blessing whilst he shuffled closer to scoop it up. He hefted the thing in his palm and was surprised to find it heavier than it looked. He dropped it to the floor and it bounced like a ping pong ball, rolling down the path and bumping into another one that Dustin swore wasn't there earlier. The new egg was a russet colour and patchy in odd places. Dustin moved closer and knelt down to pick it up.

"Hey! That's mine." He was nearly bowled over as a young boy, about six, careened past him and snatched up the two Easter eggs. An old wicker basket dangled from his arm and his collection of eggs wobbled dangerously as he swung it around precariously. Dustin pushed himself to his feet only to the see the heels of the kid disappearing around the side of the works.

"Hey wastoid!" He called after him, both in warning and in annoyance. The boy only replied with a laugh that faded as he ran further away. Not really seeing any other option Dustin chased after him. "Dude seriously, it's not safe to play here."

As he rounded the corner Dustin's previous anxiety seemed to triple. Shadows seemed to expand and reach out towards him, numerous small rustling noises echoed eerily and the wind whistling through the corrugated sheets sounded both taunting and foreboding all at once. The main reason for his trepidation though was the absence of the boy. On this side of the building the fence was more intact, ancient sawdust blew over the ground and cracks in the windows seemed to come from within rather than from rocks thrown by kids. To Dustin's right the works opened up and displayed a rusty metal staircase decorated with darker rust stains. It descended into a darkness that seemed to almost pulse with some omnipotent force. Dustin tried swallowing back his heebie-jeebies as he shuffled past it. "Hey mouthbreather! It's time to go!" He called but only silence answered him, not even a giggle.

Now Dustin was seriously creeped out. _Damn it, leave the kid and let's go_. He'd turned around after surrendering to that thought only to jump back in alarm as something dropped from above and splattered at his feet. Dustin screwed his eyes shut. _Please don't be a monster, please don't be a monster, please don't be a monster_. It wasn't. After a couple of seconds when Dustin realised he hadn't been killed yet he cracked his eyes open and let them fall on the thing in the dust. It was an Easter egg. A shattered Easter egg leaking a bloody yolk.

Dustin was frozen in terror as the little boy giggled from above him. He was hidden in the shadows surrounding the fire escape with only his shiny bowling shoes peeping out. "Look what I found Dusty!" He crowed. With each step he descended the metal stairs creaked beneath him. The basket in his hands was clanging around and several more eggs spilled out. "Whoops." He giggled as the shells rained from above and cracked against the dirt. Dustin almost lost his stomach when the green egg didn't contain a yolk but instead a slimy eyeball. "I found a lot of eggs." The boy called. "But there's just one thing I couldn't find." Dustin moved away, scrambling back as the boy jumped off the steps and landed crouched on the floor. Dustin felt like he was going to faint, all the blood in his head rushing out and leaving him dizzy. A rising wave of nausea broiled in his stomach and he let loose a hair raising scream at what was before him. Where a head should be there was only the bloodied stump of neck, muscle and sinew oozing from the top and squirting short spurts of blood. The boy giggled, the exposed windpipe making a hissing noise, and Dustin bolted.

He tore back around the front of the works almost tripping over several times in his haste to get away. He could hear the little boy following him and screamed frantic curses whilst his watch beeped obnoxiously. He was scared sick, his heart beating a tattoo against his chest as he chanced a look behind him. His mouth dried up completely. The little boy was gone but something far worse stood in his place. A clown. A greasy white clown with blood red makeup and a renaissance style lace costume. His too wide smile was terrifying as he held the strings of a dozen red balloons. "Where ya going Dusty? If you lived here you'd be home by now." It didn't make sense but Dustin didn't dwell on it, foregoing the front path and just vaulting straight through the broken chain link. Behind him he heard one of the balloons pop and felt an awful swooping in his stomach, like the feeling you get when you drop on a roller coaster. Only when Dustin looked back there was no one there, just the sad remains of a tattered balloon.

**HOPPER CABIN**

Hopper was asleep in his armchair with the TV still playing quietly in front of him when El crept through the door. A plate still covered with tinfoil was left on the table and El felt slightly guilty. Still, Hop said seven and the clock in the kitchen pointed to 6:59. Instead of waking him El reached for a throw and gently covered him with the blanket. He snored loudly and El had to stuff a fist in her mouth to stifle the giggle.

She retreated quietly into the bathroom to get ready for bed, her mind replaying the day's events over. However, unlike yesterday the memories of today filled her with a giddy joy. She felt like a fool grinning to herself in the mirror and her cheeks ached with the amount of laughing she'd done. An underlying thread of worry for Max still sat uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach and she'd belatedly realised that she hadn't even gotten the other girl's number to ring up and check that she'd returned safely. The smile slipped from her face as horrid images of Max injuring herself on her skateboard and lying helpless whilst she was snatched up by whatever was making the other children disappear. "Help me." She seemed to whisper and El shook her head to dispel the unwanted thoughts.

"She's safe." El told herself firmly. "Bad things won't get her."

"Help me." A voice croaked and El jerked backwards. That had certainly not come from her head. "Please El!" It cried weakly.

"Max?" El asked but the voice was of a higher pitch and more childlike.

"Help us!" Another voice called out and El slunk towards the sink. More pleas echoed from the plughole and El curled her hands around the basin as she tried to peer down the drain.

"Is someone down there?" She called and the voices suddenly fell silent. "Hello?"

A darker, more sinister thing responded but still with a child's voice. "We all want to play with you." It whispered and El rocked back away from the sink. Soon the other children's voices echoed out with it, the single voice turning into a cacophony and bubbling up through the ages.

"Come play with us El!" They chanted. "Come play with us! You'll float too!" El fled through the door terrified, something so very disturbing about the medley of voices ranging from a baby's gurgle to a teen's unnatural giggle. _It can't be real_ she thought. _It can't be real because children don't call out from a sink_.

She peeked her head around the door and found nothing out of the ordinary except the low whisper of wind that whistled from the basin. It made the same sound during really bad storms which helped calm El's nerves. "It's just the plumbing." She muttered. "Just the plumbing." She repeated as she turned back into the main room. Hopper's toolkit lay discarded on the floor underneath a newly plastered crack in the wall and an idea formed in her head. Careful not to wake Hopper, she tiptoed towards the bag and rifled around for the tape measure. Victorious she pulled it out and extended it, the _shlink_ of metal against plastic the only sound other than the rickety fan and Hop's deep breathing. Creeping like a skittish cat El managed to slip back into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly before turning to face the sink. All noises had stopped.

El unfurled the tape, inserting the end into the plughole and lowering it down inch by inch. She expected to reach the bottom at some point but the pipe just kept going further and further down, deeper into the earth. It came to the point where the tape measure was fully extended and nothing had brushed against it other than the crusty walls. The metal tip still dangled above emptiness and El eventually decided to reel it in. Back up it came, inch by inch.

At thirteen feet something slick and red coated the tape. El dropped it in horror as blood splattered the basin sides from where the tape had coiled. A single strand of hair snaked its way up the drain and wound its way around El's wrist. She tugged at it but another lashed out and then another. Thick ropes of bloodied hair bound El's arms before drawing taut and forcing her face into the basin. She shrieked and jerked her head back, yanking at her wrists and desperately trying to free herself. The threads were unrelenting and pulled her closer and closer to the plughole that had started to emit a wet gurgling sound. El thrashed and twisted still screaming but it was of no use. Just as the tip of her nose lined up with the dark hole a huge spray of vicious blood erupted from the sink. The bonds loosened as El got a face full of the liquid and she ripped herself free from them, the strands snapping and trailing like gory spider webs.

The force of the stream knocked the lamp and El stumbled backwards, tripping into the bath as blood continued to pool out of the sink like a demonic fountain. She had blood in her mouth, blood in her eyes and blood dripping from her hair. Her clothes were soaked with the stuff and Max's swimsuit still underneath would no doubt be stained horribly beyond repair. El was sobbing as the blood stung her eyes and tasted coppery in her mouth. She leaned to the side to spit it out but the thickness of it made her choke and splutter. It was still hot and therefore fresh. Steam curled from the splattered walls and El almost went base over apex as she climbed out of the tub and tried to cross the slick floor.

The door banged open and El jumped back in fright. She slid on the floor and let out a yowl as she landed hard on her rear, scooting backwards until her back hit the wall. "What the hell kid!" Hopper cried as he stood in the doorway. El was sobbing so hard that her shoulders shook and her heart stuttered like an old motor engine. The concern was etched so deep onto Hopper's face that it would probably leave permanent lines as he stared at his kid hunched in the corner crying.

"B-b-blood." El choked out. "Th-the blood." Fresh tears streaked her face.

"What blood? Did Mayfield hurt you?" Hopper asked, going from concerned to protective in a flash. El shook her head and the anger melted off of him as he furrowed his brows in confusion. "Then what blood kiddo?" El stared at him wide eyed. How could he not see it dripping from the ceiling and painting the walls? How could he not see that she was coated in it from head to toe?

"My clothes." She murmured, more to herself than him but Hopper still heard it and his face went ashen. For some reason he coughed nervously and raised a hand to scratch at his neck, a habit reserved for when he was feeling uncomfortable or awkward.

"Uhm, don't worry kid that can wash out. I think we have uh some paracetamol in the cupboard and I can get you a hot water bottle too if you want that?" He shuffled in the doorway and El felt heat rush to her cheeks as she understood what he was implying. She was about to correct him but hesitated; his eyes had never once strayed from her curled in the corner, not to the now silent sink nor the smeared window pane. So instead El just nodded and slumped against the floor when he left, resigning herself to the fact that she might well be insane.

**WHEELER RESIDENCE**

Mike had fallen asleep reading an old Dandy comic which now lay crumpled underneath his head. The edges had started to bleed ink onto the pillow as the rain outside picked up and the leak on the ceiling dripped. Water droplets fell irregularly from the damp spot, eventually waking Mike as it splashed off of the pages and onto his cheek a couple times. He roused grumpily, eyeing the stain on the ceiling and debating whether to leave it and just pull his covers over his head. Unfortunately the soft _plink_ of the drip was a persistent annoyance once he realised it was there. With an aggravated growl Mike tossed back the covers and traipsed out onto the landing. The upstairs utility closet was across from his room so it wasn't a huge inconvenience but a pain nonetheless. He grabbed a bucket and clicked the door shut softly, heading back to his own room. A light stopped him. The glow of a pink nightlight was seeping from beneath Holly's closed door. Mike felt his breath constrict in his chest. He set the bucket down next to his room before cautiously twisting the knob on Holly's door.

The room was frozen in time as if Holly had just gone to a slumber party rather than been declared dead just over six months ago. The lid of her toy box was flipped open with several barbies and Mike's old plastic dinosaurs hanging out. Her bed was too cold as Mike sat on the edge, picking up her tiger plush and fighting back tears. The photographs hanging from the walls seemed to watch him, the eyes of the frozen faces flickering unnaturally in the dim light.

It was just as Mike indulged himself in the sadness that had invaded him that he saw the shadow stretch across the doorway. "Mom?" He asked but the shadow vanished. Frowning, he got up from the bed and poked his head out onto the landing. No one was there. The light beneath his parents' door was off but Mike didn't believe that he'd hallucinated.

 _Squelch_. Mike jumped as he put his foot on a soggy patch of carpet. Looking closer it was a small footprint. At the top of the stairs came squeaking like wet rubber chafing together. Mike followed the trail of wet footprints all the way down stairs and into the kitchen. _This is a bad idea_ Mike thought. _A very bad idea_. None the less he stood by the kitchen island at the end of the footprints. There was no one there and Mike felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up. The tiger plush was still in one hand, the poor thing being strangled by Mike's tight grip. "Dad?" He asked halfheartedly despite knowing that the footprints were far too small to be his dad's.

A bright flash of yellow zipping around the corner startled him to the point that he yelped as he stumbled backwards, the tiger plush falling to the floor as his hands gripped the counter for balance. The basement door banged open as the yellow thing flew into it and disappeared down the stairs. Fear pulsed at the base of Mike's throat but not enough to overcome his curiosity. There was no noise from above which meant his parents hadn't woken yet. Mike sidestepped the tiger and hesitantly followed the thing into the basement.

The light still wasn't working but that didn't seem to matter as the room shimmered with some sort of glow. Faint lapping could be heard as water washed over the bottom steps and Mike made a mental note to tell his dad that the house had been flooded. There was a splashing sound from the corner and Mike's eyes darted towards it. He was able to make out the yellow thing quivering beneath his old blanket fort. "H-Holly?" Mike asked, his voice wavering as he dropped down another step to get closer to her. The thing raised its head, the yellow hood falling off and revealing little Holly Wheeler's scared and pinched face. Her hair was plastered to her head and still dripping water, the two braids a damp brown instead of their usual gold. "Holly!" Mike cried and she whimpered. Tears filled her big brown eyes as she burrowed further into the blanket fort until she was barely visible with only half of her face peeking out from behind one of the sheets.

"I lost it Mike, please don't be mad." She sniffled and Mike felt his own tears clogging his throat. All this time he'd been carrying around the guilt of her disappearance and now she stood before him scared that he would be mad at her.

"I'm not mad Hols." He reassured her, moving to wade into the water but he hesitated; something seemed off. On instinct he reached out and knocked the broom leaning against the banister. It sunk all the way in, making a deep splash rather than a shallow one which prompted Mike to eye Holly critically.

"It just floated off." Holly pleaded, her young voice cracking as she moved to the forefront of the fort and held her arms out like she used to do when she was younger and wanted to be picked up. Something cold ghosted down Mike's spine and he moved slowly back towards the safety of the kitchen. "It just floated off Mikey but if you come with me you'll float too." She whimpered and Mike's eyes widened in alarm.

"Hols..."

"You'll float too!" She giggled. "You'll float too!" Something slowly emerged from the water like a crocodile waiting for prey. "You'll float too!" Holly repeated, her voice edged with aggression as she scowled and stomped her galoshes. "You'll float too!" She yelled and the words bubbling out of her were caught in the flow of muck and water that spewed from her mouth. Mike recoiled horrified as the mixture of sewage and rain ate her up from the inside out, dissolving her features and leaving behind a mucussy mess. The thing in the water was only half submerged, its amber eyes reflecting the patterns of the flood as it drifted towards the stairs. Holly, or what was left of her, was gliding across the water being propped up by the white face like some sort of meat puppet. Mike was frozen, his mind uncomprehending as his eyes fixated on the other worldly monster. It grinned with such a predatory gleam that Mike's heart leapt into his throat and his legs were already backpedalling him up the stairs by the time Holly caved inwards and crumpled forwards, splashing face first and disappearing beneath the water. The thing behind her wasted no time in lunging forward, chasing after Mike up the stairs and gnashing and snapping its teeth at his heels like a rabid dog. Mike's palms were sweating as he tripped up the last step and slammed the door shut, fumbling at the lock with slick hands before darting back to the safety of his bedroom.

Under the relative security of his blanket Mike screwed his eyes shut and curled himself up as small as he could. There was no noise in the house but the adrenaline pumping through his veins kept him on high alert. _It's just a bad dream_ , he thought. _It's just a bad dream_ he repeated to himself like a mantra, whispering the words over and over again until the adrenaline faded and his muscles loosened. He slipped into an uneasy sleep full of sinister smiles and nursery rhymes.

© **_ELIXB_ | _2020_**

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated :) you can find me on wattpad under the same name the only difference is on wattpad this work has gifs. Share your love all feedback is welcome <3


End file.
